Sunday 10 July 2011
Reader's Choice
Stonewall Jackson's alma mater, marching to Scotland the Brave.
We have a portrait picture of a "Grandpa Jackson" and there is said to be a family connection. Grandpa Jackson led an adventurous enough life, running away to sea and becoming a midshipman with Captain Hardy (of "Kiss me, Hardy" fame). Then his father bought him out and he settled down and became a butcher in a village outside London called Knightsbridge. He then married a young lady, whose father (an ancestor of mine) farmed about five miles away from here.
We have the portraits and my surviving aunt has the waistcoat he is wearing in the picture and the pendant worn by the young lady, as well as their letters whilst courting. Hers to him begin "Honoured and respected Sir" (those were the days!) but I am afraid that the connection with Old Stonewall is unproven - though another aunt, who was a librarian, found a connection with some Jacksons who had a glass factory in Baltimore and a Reverend Jackson whose picture in a book plate bears some resemblance to this side of the family and to old Stonewall.
Edward Spalton
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2 comments:
Apologies for the pedantic reply, but …
Surely, Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson’s alma mater was the United States Military Academy at West Point.
He entered West Point in1842 and graduated in 1846 with a commission into the US Artillery. He was immediately sent to fight in the Mexican War and by 1848 had risen to the rank of Major.
It was in 1851 that he accepted a teaching post at the newly formed Virginia Military Institute, where he lectured in Artillery.
I'm sure Edward will reply JRB. Sandhurst here wouldn't be referred to as an alma mater but of course it has a different structure to Westpoint. Recruits are expected to have their degrees, from either Cranfield or a civilian university prior to undertaking their training.
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