[Emailed July 21, 1997]

THE LEGEND IS BORN

No humor this time, just pure, unadulterated history.

And why? Because this is a very important day, for two reasons...first being, it's my birthday (please send your gifts to 5704 Tannahill Circle, Huntsville, Alabama, 35802). And even though that's reason alone to declare a federal holiday, this date in history stands tall for another; for it was on this date, one hundred and thiry-six years ago that an unknown, eccentric physics professor from Virginia Military Institute first etched his name in the annals of history.

You see, today, July 21, 1861, things weren't going very well for the Confederates. It was early in the War; the Yankee army was making its first major foray onto Southern soil in their (eventually successful) attempt to subjugate the Southern states. They had managed to turn the flank of the Confederate army on the fields near Manassas Junction, Virginia; and now they were beating them back. Chaos, confusion, terror; the noble Southern soldiers, who would distinguish themselves in later days on countless bloody fields of battle as some of the bravest men ever in history, were this day falling victim to their inexperience and fear.

General Bernard Bee of Alabama was one of those frustrated leaders trying to rally his fearful troops as they began to panic and flee before the bluecoats. But they, like nearly all the rest, thought the day lost and the war with it, and it was time to escape with their lives. And so they ran..up, up across the field, over the hill and past the artillery where they cowered in the woods, listening to their enraged commander plead with them to form ranks to repulse the onslaught. But to no avail.

General Bee then rode forward a bit where General Thomas Jackson and his line of staunch Virginians, nearly alone amongst the Southern army, stood their ground against the oncoming blue tide. Bee, near despair, shouted to Jackson, "General, they are beating us back!" To which Jackson coolly replied, "Then, sir, we'll give them the bayonet." And Jackson, fixing a steely gaze upon the Union onslaught, began to make preparations to do just that. And as Jackson's brigade made ready to defend the Southern cause--by themselves, if need be--Bee galloped back to his troops and uttered the words destined to inspire a generation of Southerners: "Look! Look, men! There stands Jackson like a stone wall! Let us determine to die here, and we shall conquer! RALLY BEHIND THE VIRGINIANS!"

And rally they did. They rallied behind the Virginians, and the blue wave of soldiers was slowed, then checked, then slowly pushed back. And before the day was done, the imminent Confederate defeat was turned into a smashing Confederate victory, as they then went on to soundly whip the Yankee invaders and send them flying back to Washington in a wild-eyed panic. And General Bee, who gave his life that day in defense of his country, gave something more; he gave his country a hero, and gave a man his name.

On this day, General Thomas Jonathan Jackson became known to posterity by the simple title won in the clouds of gunpowder and rattle of musketry on Henry House Hill in Manassas, Virginia; on this day the legend was born.

On this day, General Jackson became General "Stonewall" Jackson. And speak reverently when you say it.