That name alone...says it all!

My Black And White Photograph of the famous equestrian statue of The Mighty General Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson is shown towering over Henry Hill. I took this Photograph shortly after sunrise in the month of July, the same month as the Battle, as the morning ground fog was still prevailing. This imposing statue of Jackson commemorates the point during the First Battle Of Manassas when this Confederate Commander stood "like a stonewall" against Union fighting and inspired his troops to great victory.

Behind Jackson's statue are his cannons indicating the position of Confederate batteries, which engaged the guns of Ricketts' and Griffin's Federal batteries at a distance of about 330 yards. With this furious artillery duel the First Battle Of Manassas reached its crisis. Shells were exploding overhead as Ricketts' men furiously dueled Jackson's artillery directly across the field. Sharpshooters' bullets thumped into the wooden limber chests. On the rear slope horses were screaming, dying. Suddenly from the far woods came an eerie, blood-chilling cry -- the rebel yell. Through dense smoke Ricketts could see Confederate Infantry starting across the field. Up to that moment the Confederates appeared to be losing the battle, and possibly the war. Their lines had broken. Men were running. They were being driven. But here, at Henry Hill, stood Thomas Jonathan Jackson and the momentum shifted.

A short time earlier, General Bernard Bee, Commander, Third Brigade, whose troops were to General Jackson’s left, rode to the crest of Henry Hill and informed Jackson that his line had broken, his men were falling back in disarray and were being driven. Jackson then calmly replies to Bee, “Sir, we will give them the bayonet.” Bee rides back to his line to rally his scattered troops. He gave this command, “Form, form, there stands Jackson like a stonewall; rally behind the Virginians.”

What now steadied these civilian soldiers was none other that Jackson himself. He rode slowly back and forth along the line – moving about in the exploding shower of death ever so calmly. A slumbering volcano clearly burned beneath that face so calm and collected. While his face seemed somewhat pale, Jackson’s whole being reflected a brutal resolve. An aura of confidence seemed to surround him. So did Jackson’s quiet words: “Steady, men, steady! All’s well!” He offered those reassurances despite the fact that he had been painfully wounded.

Federal infantry were advancing up Henry Hill and past the batteries of Ricketts and Griffin. A pure frontal assault, and in numbers that gave the Federals two-to-one superiority on the field. Jackson watched their progress for only a moment, then rode quickly to his regiments and with these instructions: “Reserve your fire until they come within fifty yards! Then fire and give them the bayonet! And when you charge, yell like furies!”

The federals closed. Only shouting distance separated the two sides. Suddenly Jackson’s – infantry and artillery together – poured an intense fire into the Union ranks. Scores of enemy soldiers fell to the ground dead or badly wounded; the others sought to reform for another try. Again a blast of balls and shells from Jackson’s position drove them back. Stunned, the Federals reeled momentarily before surging a third time. They got to within feet of the Virginians. More concentrated fire caused the Union line to waver, then break.

This was the moment of counterattack! The advance of the enemy having reached a position now called for the use of the bayonet. Jackson gave the command to charge and “yell like furies.” They did both, and at that moment the world heard for the first time the screams of what became known as the “Rebel Yell.”