How did Jackson earn his nickname, “Stonewall”?
Jackson’s nickname was first applied to him at the First Battle of Manassas on July 21, 1861 by Confederate General Bernard Bee. Inspired by Jackson’s resolve in the face of the enemy, Bee called out to his men to inspire them: “Look, men! There is Jackson standing like a stone wall! Let us determine to die here, and we will conquer!” Exactly what General Bee said will never be known, but this version was published in the Charleston Mercury on July 25, 1861 and reprinted in the Richmond Daily Dispatch and Lexington Gazette.
