Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 06.djvu/52

 JACKSON

JACKSON

30th General Lee assumed command, while Jackson had the right wing and Longstreet the left. The battle was delayed by the Federals until late in the afternoon and continued till 10 P.M., the Federals retreating to the heights of Center ville. On September 1, Jackson was ordered to turn their position, and if possible compel them to retreat without an engagement, and on perceiving the movement the Federals retired to Fairfax Court House, where they found Jackson ready to attack them. The engagement at Ox Hill then resulted and the Federal troops once more retired toward Washington and took refuge in the strong fortifications around the city. Lee did not follow up liis advantage, but soon after determined on his invasion of the northern states. Jackson's command crossed the Potomac at "White's Ford, Sept. 5, 1862 ; on the 6th entered Frederick, Md., and on the 10th he marched through Middletown, Boonsboro and Williamsport en route to Harper's Ferry. On the 12th Jackson's army reached Martinsburg, taking position before Harper's Ferry on Sept. 13, 1862, and planted battalions on the heights surrounding the city on which they opened a vigorous can- nonade. On thel5th the place surrendered, and 11,000 men, 60 pieces of artillery, 13,000 stands of small arms, and a vast quantity of stores were in the possession of the victorious Con- federates. Jackson did not wait to arrange the details of the surrender, leaving that duty to Gen. A. P. Hill, and he hastened with his army to Sharpsburg to join General Lee in order to meet the advance of McClellan's army. Jackson reached the field of battle September 16, and the next day fought one of the most desperate en- gagements of the war, where his masterly pro- vision for retreat enabled the entire Confederate force to re-cross the Potomac, and he was the last to retire after seeing every man and gun safely on Virginia soil. On Oct. 11, 1862, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general. General Lee concentrated his whole force on the Rappahan- nock, fearing for the safety of Riclimond, and General Jackson was ordered from Winchester to his support, pending a threatened attack upon Fredericksburg, which city they entered, Dec. 12, 1862, and on the 13th General Jackson, in his lieutenant-general's uniform, rode the line of his army to the summit of a hill where General Lee was watching the artillery fire from the Federal line which led to a general engagement, lasting all day. On Sunday, December 14, the Federals failed to advance, and on the 15th, with a flag of truce, they requested permission to bury their dead and care for their wounded, and under the cover of the night they retired their entire army to the other side of the river. In the battle of Fredericksburg, Burnside's loss was 12,000 killed

and wounded and about 1000 prisoners, and Lee's loss was 4200 killed and wounded, of which num- ber 2900 were of Jackson's corps. This battle ended the campaign of 1862. On April 20, 1863, he was visited in camp at Guiney's Station, Va., by his wife and daughter Julia, born Nov. 23, 1862, and on April 23 they had the child baptized by his chaplain, the Rev. IMr. Lacy, General Lee being present. On April 29, 1863, upon being in- formed of General Hooker's advance, he placed his corps under arms and marched toward Chan- cellorsville to meet the enemy, and on the morn- ing of May 1 he began his masterly flank move- ment, which the Federals interpreted to be a retreat toward Richmond, but which brought liis corps six miles west of Cliancellorsville and placed Hooker's army between him and the ai'my of General Lee. He formed his corps in three parallel lines, and silently and in the darkness they made their way through the wilderness till they gained the Federal pickets, when he opened a volley from his line of battle, and jjressing on, crushed Howard's corps to a hopeless rout. They charged the Federal works with a yell and pur- sued the disheartened 11th corps toward Chancel- lorsville over a field strewn with arms, knapsacks and accoutrements of the fugitives, and in the darkness, companies, regiments and brigades were undistinguishable and moved forward in a confused mass. The first and second lines of battle became hopelessly mixed, and Rodes sent to Jackson to send forward the third line (A. P. Hill's division) that the others could be reformed. In the execution of this movement a lull in the storm of battle occurred, and when Jackson paused in his pursuit Hooker tried to stop his demor- alized troops and reform a line of battle. In the midst of this confusion, in which Jackson was con- stantly calling on his men to restore order and "get into line," he found that Hoolver was ad- vancing with fresh troops, being pressed in front by Lee. At this jwint Hooker turned upon Jackson in his rear, iioping to recapture the lost barricfi«c. Jackson, with a i:»art of his staff, ad- vanced in the direction of the advancing Federal troops, when a volley from his right front ar- rested them, the musket balls wounding several of their horses. On being told not to expose him- self, he replied, " There is no danger — the enemy is routed. Go back and tell Hill to press on." In order to screen himself from the flying bullets, he rode with his Staff into the thicket to the left and rear and soon came in front of his own line of battle. His men, mistaking the officers for the enemy, opened fire, and from this volley Jackson received his mortal wounds, while several of his escort were killed or wounded. He was helped from "Little Sorrel" by Captain Wilbourne, his signal officer, and Lieutenant Morrison ran in the