The Life of Stonewall Jackson: Official Papers, Contemporary Narratives, and Personal Acquaintance

“Stonewall” Jackson is considered by military authorities to have been an outstanding leader, skilled tactician and one of the ablest of the Confederate commanders. He earned his popular nickname at the First Battle of Bull Run (1861), where his troops stood against the Union forces “like a stone wall”. 

John Esten Cooke examines Jackson’s life from birth, through his career at West Point, as well as his exploits during the Civil war. He describes how the so-called “Stonewall Brigade”, combined with troops led by Robert E. Lee, defeated Gen. George B. McClellan and three Union armies at the Battle of Richmond. He examines how Jackson defeated General John Pope, ensuring a Confederate victory at the Second Battle of Bull Run, on to the battle of Chancellorsville on May 2, 1863, where, in a tragic accident, he was shot and fatally wounded by friendly fire.

Cooke, a Virginian, tells the fascinating story of Stonewall Jackson, the enigmatic American icon.