Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery

The Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery on South Main Street, Lexington, grew around the old Lexington Presbyterian Church, which was built on the edge of town in 1789. The site of the old church can be seen in the cemetery beside Main Street near the Preston family plot.

In addition to Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson, over a hundred Confederate and Revolutionary War veterans are buried here. Other notables interred in the cemetery include John Mercer Brooke, the designer of the ironclad ship C.S.S. Virginia (often referred to by its previous name, Merrimac); Gen. William N. Pendleton, Lee’s chief of artillery, early presidents of Washington College and VMI and two Virginia governors. Jackson’s sister-in-law, Margaret Junkin Preston, a noted poet and wife of Col. J.T.L. Preston, one of the founders of VMI, is also buried there. A marker just inside the main gate lists many of the famous and interesting people buried in the cemetery and locates their graves.

Jackson Statue

One of the more popular locales that visitors want to see when in Lexington is Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson’s grave. The heroic statue of the general, defiantly facing southward, is the focal point of the Stonewall Jackson Cemetery, which draws thousands of visitors annually.

The story of the Jackson Statue is interesting in its own right. When it was dedicated on July 21, 1891, the thirtieth anniversary of the First Battle of Manassas, the crowd that gathered may have been the largest ever assembled in Lexington.

The railroads estimated they brought 15,000 people to Lexington for the

event, joining some 12,000 Rockbridge residents who turned out for the

unveiling at the cemetery.?

Funds for the statue had been raised by the Jackson Memorial Association. Gen. George Washington Custis Lee was president of the association and Judge James K. Edmondson chairman of the executive committee.

The association was formed in 1875 for the purpose of erecting a suitable monument over Jackson’s grave. However, because of the effort underway at that time to raise funds for the Lee mausoleum and statue, the solicitation by the Jackson association didn’t begin until 1884.

At first, the goal was to raise a simple monument over the grave, but the fund drive was so successful that it was decided to commission the Richmond sculptor Edward Valentine to do a heroic bronze figure of Jackson. Valentine had carved the famous recumbent statue of Lee in the Lee Chapel, and was in possession of Jackson’s death mask.

The cost of the statue was $9,000, and the pedestal and vault, plus the unveiling ceremonies ran another $3,000.

In February of 1891, the Rockbridge County News reported that a contract had been awarded for the granite base and the pedestal. During the months to come leading up to the unveiling and dedication, the newspaper carried numerous articles about the preparations.

In April, Judge Edmondson called the survivors of the Stonewall Brigade and the Rockbridge Artillery to meet in Staunton to make arrangements for their participation in the ceremonies.

It was reported on May 21 that work on the pedestal and base were progressing satisfactorily and that there was “no doubt but that everything would be in perfect readiness for the unveiling of the statue on July 21^st.”

At the same time, the newspaper noted that “There is every indication now that Lexington will have on that date such a crowd... as has never before been assembled in the town.”

A note of uneasiness crept into the local newspaper’s columns on June 18 as it exhorted the residents of the town and county to contribute provisions for the visiting veterans.

“Remember, these old fellows lost their cause, but they didn’t lose their appetites.”

Committees to solicit supplies were organized in every community in the county and a collection point was set up in each area.

On July 7, the statue, which had laid boxed since December at Gen. Custis Lee’s home, was placed on top of the pedestal and veiled from sight.

The C&O and B&O railroads announced they would run a number of

excursion trains into Lexington and offered a special half-price fare.?

The crowd began to gather the day before the event. Various units of veterans were quartered in Washington Hall at W&L, in the VMI barracks, the Court House, the Opera House, the Presbyterian lecture room and the basement of Lee Chapel.

At 4:30 a.m. on the great day, a train arrived bearing the Stonewall Band and the strains of music as they passed to their headquarters aroused the town.

At 6 a.m., 15 guns were fired in honor of Jackson. The guns were placed around the VMI parade ground and were manned by a detachment of the Rockbridge Artillery.

“After that,” reads the newspaper account, “all was stir and bustle.

Veterans from North Carolina and elsewhere, volunteer soldiers from the

lower Valley and strangers from many sections who had arrived the day

before thronged the streets and each arriving train added to their number

by as many thousand men.”

“Gay colored banners waved from every housetop and swung to the breeze from every window. The bright uniforms of the soldiers mingled with the sober garb of the citizen. Strains of music from many bands awakened the echoes about the usually quiet town. The tread of a vast multitude was heard upon its streets and the cheers of strong men were mingled with the loud plaudits and rippling laughter of women.”

The weather was ideal for the occasion. Barrels of ice water were placed along Main Street and at other points and 3,500 pounds of ice were used.

At 10:30, many units had already moved into position on the VMI parade ground where they were arranged by Gen. James A. Walker, chief marshall of the day, and the last surviving commander of the Stonewall Brigade.

The units were marched to the shaded platform on the W&L campus where the ceremonies began at 11:00.

When Gen. Wade Hampton arose to preside a cheer went up from the 10,000 people assembled before him.

Dr. Hopkins of Charlestown, W.Va., the “Fighting Chaplain” of the Stonewall Brigade, offered a prayer.

Another mighty cheer went up when Hampton introduced the speaker, Gen. Jubal Early.

“We are assembled here for the purpose of manifesting our respect and admiration for one of the most illustrious characters that has figured in the annals of history,” Early declared.

After giving a sketch of Jackson’s career, he concluded his oration with the declaration, “I trust that every faithful soldier of the Army of Northern Virginia is ready to exclaim with me: If I am ever known to repudiate the cause for which Lee fought and Jackson died, may the lightning of heaven blast me and the scorn of all brave men and all good women be my portion.”

The line was again formed for the movement of the procession to the cemetery. The County News listed every unit in order and gave the number of men in each.

The elaborate decorations included several arches thrown across Main Street.

The platform guests, including many surviving Confederate leaders, entered the cemetery gates. The Confederate units continued their march to Houston Street, turning off into the field immediately behind the cemetery.

General Jackson’s widow and her two little grandchildren, Julia Jackson Christian and Thomas Jackson Christian, mounted the unveiling platform.

The County News recalls the scene in these words: “When the signal gun sounded, the two little children with united hands pulled the cord and let the veil fall, and this grand statue of the great Jackson was unveiled to the admiring gaze of thousands around it. The cannoneers of the old Rockbridge Artillery at the foot of the hill announced the event with fifteen guns, from the cannon which they used at First Manassas, and a shout such as these quiet precincts never before heard, rent the air. It was answered by the veterans on the other side with an old fashioned “rebel yell.” ... The Armed infantry fired volleys ‘til it sounded like a real battle was in progress.”

“As the battery ceased firing, General Walker again put his column in motion. They passed down and in at the rear of the cemetery and along the broad pathway by the statue and out the main entrance. As the old veterans approached the statue they gazed upon it as it were with reverence and as they passed saluted. Some were heard to say, ‘That is old Jack all right.’ ... The bands that at first approached played Dixie and exited a little cheering, but the crowd was remarkably serious looking. The last bands which came played solemn tunes. It was three o’clock when the end of the line passed the monument. The people quietly dispersed, and the events of a day never to be forgotten by those who witnessed them were over.”

Over the years, the statue would stand in the cemetery and visitors came to see the grave of the Civil War leader. As the centennial of the original dedication approached, a number of local organizations, notably the Lexington Visitors Bureau, the Stonewall Jackson House and Historic Lexington Foundation began planning an event to mark the occasion.

Inspection of the statue revealed that it was in good shape for being out in the weather for a century. Fortunately, the Lexington area doesn’t suffer from severe air pollution, which causes deterioration to outdoor monuments, but a hundred years of exposure had resulted in some corrosion to the bronze.

The expert who inspected the statue suggested cleaning it by blasting it with powdered walnut shells under low pressure, then applying a corrosion inhibitor followed by a coat of wax. This was done in the spring of 1991, and city workers were trained in the technique so that they could maintain the statue in the future.

Exactly 100 years later, on July 21, 1991, the Jackson statue brought crowds to Lexington again for the rededication of the statue. The 1991 event didn’t bring people in the numbers of 1891, but over 1,000 gathered in the cemetery on a sweltering 95-degree day to hear Jackson biographer and noted Civil War historian James I. Robertson speak of Jackson the man. Robertson noted that some historians characterize Jackson as a one-dimensional eccentric. Robertson discussed Jackson the shy West Point cadet, the Mexican War hero, the dull teacher, loving husband, Sunday school teacher and Civil War general. He said that underlying Jackson’s character were three simple traits: devotion, duty and determination.

VMI Superintendent John W. Knapp then spoke on Jackson’s career as a professor at the college in the decade before the Civil War, and Lexington Mayor H.E. Derrick talked of Jackson’s civic life in Lexington.

One disappointment at the rededication was that Jackson’s granddaughter, Julia Jackson Christian Preston, who pulled the cord to unveil the statue in 1891 and still alive at the time at 104, was unable to attend. Her daughter, Julia Preston McAfee, placed a wreath on Jackson’s grave on her behalf.

Other events over the weekend of the rededication included encampments by Civil War re-enactors, talks by noted authors and historians on aspects of Jackson’s life, a parade through downtown Lexington and a special performance of Lime Kiln Theater’s Stonewall Country for Jackson’s descendants.

Today, the statue remains the centerpiece of the cemetery.

In the spring, the dogwoods and other flowering trees create a beautiful backdrop for the gray stones and the bronze figure of “Stonewall.” While visiting the area, take a few minutes to see the Jackson statue and enjoy the cool quiet of this oasis of calm in the bustle of Lexington.