Pictorial history of the war for the Union, volume 2 (of 2)

A noteworthy incident of the sanguinary battle of Chancellorsville was the accidental shooting of the rebel General Stonewall Jackson, by his own troops. This casualty occurred on the evening of May 2d, 1863. It may be interesting—since Stonewall Jackson, if not the ablest, was the most brilliant officer in the service of the rebellion—to preface the narrative of his death with some account of his civil and military career.

Thomas Jefferson Jackson—who, as we have seen, acquired the soubriquet of “Stonewall,” was born at Clarksburg, Harrison Co., Va., January 21, 1824. The first years of his life were spent on his uncle’s farm. In 1842 he became a cadet at West Point, from which military school he graduated in 1846, in the same class with McClellan and other students, subsequently distinguished in the Civil War. As a boy and as a young man, Jackson was noted for gravity of manners and reticence of nature; quiet, studious, and thoughtful at all times, he was also deeply religious in temperament and in faith. In the Mexican War, in 1848, he served under General Taylor and under General Scott, and distinguished himself at Contreras, Churubusco, and Chepultepec. In 1852, he resigned his commission, being in ill health, and was afterwards appointed Professor of Mathematics, in the Military Institute of Virginia. The breaking out of the Rebellion found him there, and entering the rebel service, he received a Lieutenant’s commission from Governor Letcher of Virginia. His participation in the war was brief, but was marked by daring exploits and many successes. He bore a conspicuous part in the first battle of Bull Run, and as we have seen, made a dashing and successful raid up the valley of the Shenandoah, pursuing Banks to the Potomac, and getting away unscathed. He also took part in the battle of Malvern, and he greatly harassed General Pope, during the campaign of that officer. The capture of Harper’s Ferry was, in part, due to his strategy; and he was engaged in the bloody battle of Antietam. He also participated in the battle of Fredericksburg, and defeated Burnside’s left wing, commanded by General Franklin. At the battle of Chancellorsville his rank was that of Lieutenant-General, equivalent to that of a corps commander, in the United States Army. His operations in the latter fight have already been described. The manner of his death was peculiar, and is worthy of minute description. Late in the afternoon of the 2d of May, he had attacked and routed the Eleventh United States Army Corps, under General Howard, forming part of the rear of the Federal right wing. At about 8 o’clock in the evening, when returning from this attack, attended by his staff, the cavalcade was mistaken, by the rebels, for a body of Union cavalry, and was fired upon, in the darkness. Jackson was struck by three balls. One passed through the left arm, two inches below the shoulder joint, shattering the bone and severing the chief artery; another ball passed through the same arm between the elbow and wrist, making its exit through the palm of the hand; a third ball entered the palm of the right hand about its middle, passing through, and broke two bones. He was wounded on the plank road, about fifty yards in advance of the enemy. He fell from his horse, and was caught by Captain Wormley, to whom he remarked, “All my wounds are by my own men.” He had given orders for his men to fire at any one coming Up the road, before he left the lines. The Union skirmishers appeared ahead of him, and he turned to ride back. Just then some one cried out, “Cavalry charge!” and immediately the regiment fired. The whole party then broke forward to ride through the rebel line to escape the fire. Captain Boswell was killed, and carried through the line by his horse, and fell among his own men. Colonel Couchfield, Chief-of-Staff, was wounded by his side. Two couriers were killed. Major Pendleton, Lieutenants Morrison and Smith, escaped uninjured. General Jackson was immediately placed on a litter and started for the rear; but the firing had attracted the attention of the Unionists, and it was resumed by both lines. One litter-bearer was shot down, and Jackson fell from the shoulders of the men, receiving a severe contusion, adding to the injury of the arm, and severely injuring his side.

At this point the Unionists swept the field with artillery, and the wounded man was left for five minutes, until the fire slackened, when he was placed in an ambulance, and carried to the field hospital at Wilderness Run. He lost a large amount of blood, and at one time told Doctor M’Guire he thought he was dying, and would have bled to death, but that a tourniquet was immediately applied. For two hours he was almost pulseless. As he was being carried from the field, frequent inquiries were made by the soldiers, “Who have you there?” He told the doctor, “Do not tell the troops I am wounded.”

At the hospital his arm was amputated, while he was under the influence of chloroform. He slept on Sunday morning, was cheerful, and was doing well. On Monday he was carried to Chancellor’s house, near Guiney’s depot.

During the ride to Guiney’s he complained greatly of heat, and begged that a wet cloth be applied to his stomach, which was done, greatly to his relief, as he expressed it. He slept well on Monday night, and ate with relish the next morning. On Tuesday his wounds were doing very well. He asked, “Can you tell me, from the appearance of my wounds, how long I shall be kept from the field?” He was greatly satisfied when he was told they were doing remarkably well. He did not complain of any pain in the side, and wanted to see the members of his staff, but was advised not to do so. On Wednesday night, while his surgeon, who had not slept for three nights, was asleep, he complained of nausea, and ordered his boy, Jim, to place a wet towel over his stomach. This was done. About daylight the surgeon was awakened by the boy saying, “The General is in great pain.” The pain was in his right side, and due to incipient pneumonia and some nervousness, which he himself attributed to the fall from the litter. On Thursday his wife arrived, greatly to his joy and satisfaction, and she faithfully nursed him to the end.

On Sunday morning, when it was apparent that he was rapidly sinking, Mrs. Jackson told him he was going to die. He said: “Very good: very good. It is all right.” He had previously said: “I consider these wounds a blessing. They were given me for some good and wise purpose. I would not part with them if I could.” He expressed a wish to be buried in Lexington, in the valley of Virginia. During delirium his mind reverted to the battle-field, and he sent orders to General A. P. Hill to prepare for action, and to Major Hawks, his Commissary, and to the surgeons. He frequently expressed to his aids his wish that Major-General Ewell should be ordered to command his corps. This wish was subsequently fulfilled. He died on the afternoon of Sunday May 10th, and on the 12th, was honored with a public funeral in Richmond. The press, at the North as well as the South, rendered eulogiums upon his character and achievements. Posterity will remember him as a kind of Cromwellian soldier, an enthusiastic devotee of religion, and a man who fought bravely in a bad cause.