Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 9.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

[45] rode up. His face was as calm and unmoved as ever, the thin lips tightly compressed, and looking just as he looked at Kernstown and Manassas. Riding up to the side of an elderly-looking gentleman in clerical cloth, standing in front of the main entrance to the institute, Major Jackson wheeled his horse, and facing his battalion as he raised his cap, said, “Let us pray.” The venerable Dr. White, pastor of the Presbyterian church, then stepped forward, and baring his gray locks to the sun, poured forth a feeling prayer. It was a memorable scene! Just as the clergyman pronounced the “Amen,” Jackson wheeled his horse, and in a short, crisp manner, gave the command, “Forward, march!” Waving a silent adieu to the assembled crowd, he rode off at the head of the column. That was the last time his gaze ever fell upon the town of Lexington.

His subsequent history is known to all. No hero in the annals of war ever won more enduring fame than Stonewall Jackson. His fame is the common heritage of Americans. The Federal soldier takes as much pride in recounting his valorous deeds as does the Confederate foot-cavalryman who followed him on the long and wearisome march. We can point with just pride to the fact that he was a native Western Virginian--

For oft when white-haired grandsires tell
     Of bloody struggles past and gone,
The children at their knees shall hear
     How Jackson led his columns on.

Ed. Lexington Gazette,--In the spring of 1858, T. J. Jackson, then a professor in the Virginia Military Institute, at Lexington, Va.--now our Stonewall Jackson — was organizing a negro Sunday school in the town of Lexington.

At that time such a school was regarded by our laws as an “unlawful assembly.”

On Saturday evening of May 1st, 1858, I left my office, and on my way home met Major Jackson on the pavement in front of the court-house, in company with Colonel S. McD. Reid, the clerk of our courts, and William McLaughlin, Esq., now judge of our circuit court. They were conversing on the subject of his Sunday school.

Colonel Reid said to him, “Major, I have examined the statute and conferred with the commonwealth's attorney. Your Sunday school is an ‘unlawful assembly.’ ”