As another Lame Cherry exclusive in matter anti matter.
The picture of General Thomas Stonewall Jackson is one which is best left to those who knew him on the battlefield. The following is an account of the General from General James Longstreet.
General Jackson was a man of reserved temperament, but a great pleasure in life.
There has been a ridiculous historical smear that General Jackson was some zealot who raised his hands in battle like Moses, but General Longstreet dispenses of that nonsense, but explaining that it was an injury, and pressure would mount in his hand, and he would have to raise his arm to relieve the pressure.
He had been wounded at Bull Run, and the nagging injury accumulated fluid from extended use in the strenuous activity of combat, and this had nothing to do with invocation or prayer, but relief in draining the fluid which was making his hand throb.
General Jackson was called to head-quarters early in
the morning. Upon receiving General Lee's orders to
cross Bull Run at Sudley's and march by Little River
turnpike to intercept the enemy's march, he said,
" Good !" and away he went, without another word, or
even a smile.
Though the suggestion of a smile always hung about
his features, it was commonly said that it never fully
developed, with a single exception, during his military
career, though some claim there were other occasions on
which it ripened, and those very near him say that he
always smiled at the mention of the names of the Fed-
eral leaders whom he was accustomed to encounter over
in the Valley behind the Blue Ridge. Standing, he
was a graceful figure, five feet ten inches in height, with
brown wavy hair, full beard, and regular features. At
first glance his gentle expression repelled the idea of his
severe piety, the full beard concealing the lower features,
which had they been revealed would have marked the
character of the man who claimed " his first duty to God,
and his next to Jackson and General Lee." Mounted,
his figure was not so imposing as that of the bold dragoon,
Charley May, on Black Tom. He had a habit of raising
his right hand, riding or sitting, which some of his fol-
lowers were wont to construe into invocation for Divine
aid, but they do not claim to know whether the prayers
were for the slain, or for the success of other fields. The
fact is, he received a shot in that hand at the First Bull
Run, which left the hand under partial paralysis and the
circulation through it imperfect. To relieve the pressure
and assist the circulation he sometimes raised his arm.
The above references to Charlie May is Lt. Charles A. May of the 1st and 2nd Dragoons of the Seminole and Mexican American War, where he led the charge. While the above says ON BLACK TOM, Charles May rode a white horse, so it is believed it is OR BLACK TOM, in Sir Thomas Fairfax or Black Tom of the English Civil War, in which Lord Fairfax was supplanted by his more Republican Oliver Cromwell to liberate the English People from the despot Charles I.
Charlie May in battle.
Black Tom Lord Fairfax.
Each of though are fine examples of military prowess and bravery, and although the reference in the above by James Longstreet is about being mounted, perhaps artists take white horse liberties, as James Longstreet would know what horse Charles May rode, as the General served in the Mexican American War and was a eye witness of the field of battle taking part in it.
In the published written script it is Charley May, ON Black Tom. Black Tom must have been Lt. May's large black horse.
It is a fact though that General Jackson was a devout Christian with focused energies of what was proper and what was improper. He had a wide array of interests from gardening to cooking, as he was a most accomplished gentleman.
Gentleman is almost the complete definition of Thomas Jackson, Christian Gentleman is the complete reality.
He received his nickname Stonewall in having assembled his forces on a height, a group of routed Confederates in retreat noted in surprise that Jackson had taken up the line of defense, and he stood like a Stonewall for them to rally behind.
Nuff Said
agtG
