Civil War Today

Death of Stonewall Jackson

 

Bowling Green, VA Updated Thursday, July 29, 2010 8:57 PM Rain 81°F High: 98°F Low: 68°F Wind: 0 mph Humidity: 100% Friday 86° / 63° Saturday 86° / 68° Sunday 83° / 72° Monday 83° / 70° MSN Weather Data provided by iMap

 

 

 

 General Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson

 

 

 

 

Guinea Station/Fairfield Plantation

http://www.civilwartraveler.com/maps/nps/Fredericksburg.pdf

 

On May 2, 1863, the evening of the Confederate victory at Chancellorsville, Stonewall Jackson and his staff road out past their lines to scout the Union positions. Returning in the dark nervous Confederate pickets shot Jackson twice in the left arm, and once the right hand. A 54 cal. mini ball does a number on anything it hits and Jackson’s arm had to be amputated.

 

He survived the surgery fine but died eight days later due to complications from pneumonia.

After Jackson’s surgery his doctors decided to transport him to Guinea Station to recuperate because it was thought to be a place safe from Yankee attack, easy to get to by rail from Richmond and familiar to the wounded general. Jackson was taken to the Fairfield Plantation, near the station, and given the plantation office (pictured) as a place to recuperate. The Chandler's offered the use of their house, but Jackson’s doctors thought the privacy of the office would be better for the General to rest in.

The Office 

It was thought that after a few days rest that Jackson could be moved to Richmond where better medical care was available. Jackson’s health did not improve however and he developed pneumonia. As his health deteriorated his wife stayed by his side and five different doctors each took a hand at making him better. When it became apparent that he was not going to recover his personal physician began to write down everything the General said. That is how we have Jackson’s last words:

First Jackson commented, “It is the Lord's Day; my wish is fulfilled. I have always desired to die on Sunday.”

Next he ordered, “A.P. Hill to prepare for action! Pass the infantry to the front rapidly! Tell Major Hawks –“

Then Jackson smiled and said, “Let us cross over the river, and rest under the shade of the trees.”

That was it, Jackson was dead. Something to think about surely, but what I have always puzzled over was what happened to the pickets who shot him. Were they court-martialed? Did they get lynched by their own companions, beat up? Maybe they just cut and ran and nobody ever saw them again, or everyone realized that stuff happens and let it go at that. I would think that they must have been devastated and embarrassed and that it would have driven them crazy, maybe even to suicide.

If anyone knows, I am really curious.

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