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Jackson saw himself, or others, merely as instruments of God’s own choosing to accomplish His will.
“The manner in which the press, the army, and the people seem to lean upon certain persons is positively frightful. They are forgetting God in the instruments he has chosen. It fills me with alarm.”
- Jackson to a newspaper editor
Jackson’s view of duty allowed him to leave the consequences to God, no matter what they were.
“Duty is ours; consequences are Gods.”
- Jackson probably was aware that John Quincy Adams had originally said this.
Robertson [1997: 740] cites these words spoken by Jackson to his chaplain (Lacy) regarding his feelings to his own wounding on May 2nd, 1863:
“You find me severly wounded, but not unhappy or depressed. I believe that it has been done according to the will of God, and I acquiesce entire in His holy will. It may seem strange, but you never saw me more perfectly contented than I am today, for I am sure that my Heavenly Father designs this affliction for my good.”
Whether experiecing victory in battle or suffering from being wounded in one, Jackson knew all the same to whom to give the credit to.
“I consider these wounds a blessing; they were given me for some good and wise purpose, and I would not part with them if I could.”
- Jackson commenting to his soldiers on May 2nd, 1863; after having been mortally wounded by his own men at the Battle of ChancellorsvilleLater that same week, just days before he died, he had this conversation with his aide-de-camp James Power Smith:
“Many would regard them [his injuries] as a great misfortune. I regrad them as one of the blessings of my life.” Smith replied by quoting one of Jackson’s favorite Scriptures, “All things work together for good to them that love God.” “Yes!” Jackson responded. “That’s it! That’s it!”
- As cited in Robertson [1997:744].
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COLUMBIA, May 2, 1863.
Lieut. Gen. LEONIDAS POLK, Shelbyville:
Enemy have been re-enforced at Franklin. Will attempt to drive me away, I think. Came out yesterday, with all cavalry and two brigades of infantry, but went back. Can you send me an engineer officer and some intrenching tools?
Can you send two batteries with Walthall, in case he is ordered up?
EARL VAN DORN,
Major-General.
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O.R.– SERIES I–VOLUME XXIII/2 [S# 35]
Correspondence, Orders, And Returns Relating To Operations In Kentucky, Middle And East Tennessee, North Alabama, And Southwest Virginia, From January 21 To August 10, 1863.
CONFEDERATE CORRESPONDENCE. ETC.–#8
Page 807
An aide-de-camp to Stonewall Jackson, James Power Smith, was riding alongside when General Jackson was wounded by friendly fire from a North Carolina regiment. Smith helped evacuate Jackson from the field and shield him when artillery shells began exploding around them.
The hankerchief -apparently Jackson’s own - was used as a binding on Jackson’s wounded arm and is stained with his own blood. Jackson would lose his left arm that evening (May 2nd) due to amputation by Dr. Hunter McQuire; but would lose his life on May 10th , dying to complications reated pneumonia.
Item on display at The Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond, VA.
