Stonewall Jackson essays

Stonewall Jackson essays On January 21, 1824, a baby would soon become an ambitious man. That man, though, will soon be in the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. This man is Stonewall Jackson or Thomas Jonathon Jackson (his real name). When he first got to the Academy he looked awkward, only carrying two saddlebags and wearing homespun clothing. Even though he looked awkward, people saw him and could tell he was here to stay. Staying was not easy for Jackson. He was ready for military life, but had trouble with the academics. Every night he piled his grate full of coal and studied till it went out. Finally that helped, when he graduated he was seventeenth of fifty-nine compared to last of ninety-two who made it to enter. Though the academics were hard for him at the Academy, his schooling (in his childhood) were limited to classes taught by traveling teachers. He could only read, write, and do a little arithmetic. Also, he taught for a few years and got paid $5.64. That was one of the only good things in his childhood. Other than that it was very sad. To start this whole thing off, in 1826, his sister and father, died from typhoid fever when Tom was only two. Though, the very next day, after his fathers death, Laura was born, his younger sister. His mother tried to run the house, but couldnt do it by herself. So she married Blake B. Woodson. Even that couldnt stop what was going to happen next. While she was pregnant with her fifth child, her health began to decline. She then sent he and Laura to live with relatives. Shortly after, she died. He had to go spend time with his Uncle Brake. He hated it there, but needed money so he was serving legal papers on people and collecting bad depts. But Tom was an ambitious lad; he knew that he needed an education if he wanted to make something of himself. When he had an opportunity to apply to the U.S. Military Academy at West Poin ...