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Biographical
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Brigadier-General William Lowther Jackson was born at
Clarksburg, Va., February 3, 1825.
He was educated for the legal profession and was admitted to the bar in 1847, soon afterward being elected to the office of commonwealth attorney for his native county.
His career as a jurist and public official during the ante-war period was prominent and distinguished.
He was twice elected to the
Virginia house of delegates, served twice as second auditor of the
State, and superintendent of the State library fund; held the office of lieutenant-governor one term, and in 1860 was elected judge of the Nineteenth judicial circuit of the
State.
He left the bench early in 1861 to enlist in the
Virginia forces as a private, and was rapidly promoted.
In May, 1861,
Major Boykin, writing from
Grafton, recommended that
General Lee appoint
Judge Jackson to military command at
Parkersburg, as ‘a gentleman of great personal popularity, not only with his own party, but with those opposed to him politically, and devoted to the interests of
Virginia, to the last extremity.’
With the rank of lieutenant-colonel, Virginia volunteers, he reported for duty to
Colonel Porterfield, in
Randolph county, in June.
Out of the companies collected at
Huttonsville, two regiments were organized, and one, the Thirty-first, was put under his command, with which, after
General Garnett's arrival June 14th, he took possession of the pass at
Laurel mountain.
After the disastrous close of the
West Virginia operations,
Colonel Jackson became the volunteer aide of his cousin,
Gen. Stonewall Jackson, in the
Valley campaign, and his services were gratefully mentioned in the official report of the
battle of Port Republic.
He continued in this capacity with
Jackson through the campaign
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before
Richmond, the
Second Manassas campaign, and the
Maryland campaign, including the battles of
Harper's Ferry and
Sharpsburg.
On February 17, 1863, he was authorized by the war department to raise a regiment for the provisional army within the lines of the enemy in
West Virginia.
Early in April he had his regiment, the Nineteenth Virginia cavalry, organized, and was elected colonel.
His command was brigaded under
Gen. A. G. Jenkins, in the army of Western Virginia, under
Gen. Sam Jones.
He joined in the expedition against the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, in April, under
General Imboden, and secured 300 or 400 recruits.
In July he commanded a second expedition to
Beverly, where and at
Huttonsville he was engaged with
Averell's Federal force.
He continued in the department of Western Virginia, frequently opposing Federal incursions, his command increasing to the dimensions of a small brigade of cavalry, during the remainder of 1863.
In the spring of 1864 he was stationed at
Warm Springs, and in the organization under
Breckinridge he was given command of a brigade of several cavalry regiments.
In May he was engaged against
Crook's expedition; in June he took part in the defense of
Lynchburg, and in July he participated in command of his brigade in the expedition through
Maryland to the defenses of Washington.
On the retreat, defending the rear, he repulsed a Federal attack at
Rockville, Md. He was promoted brigadier-general, and in the
Valley, after this, he was engaged in almost continuous movements and engagements, and participated in the battles of
Winchester,
Cedar Creek,
Fisher's Hill,
Port Republic and other affairs, in command of a brigade of
Lomax's division.
The spring of 1865 found him still in the field, but on April 15th he disbanded his brigade.
Soon afterward he removed to
Louisville, Ky., where he resumed the practice of law. A few years later he was appointed circuit judge, and by subsequent elections was continued in that
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office until his death, March 24, 1890.
His judicial career was distinguished by high moral courage, as well as professional ability, and he was regarded as one of the leading jurists of the
State.
He was a descendant of
John Jackson, an Irishman who settled in
Maryland about 1748, and twenty years later removed to the
Buckhannon river region,
western Virginia.
His son Edward was the grandfather of
Judge William L. Jackson, also of
Gen. Stonewall Jackson.
His elder son, George, member of Congress, was the ancestor of
John G. Jackson, M. C.,
Gen. John J. Jackson, U. S. A., a famous Whig leader, and
Jacob J. Jackson, governor of
West Virginia.
The younger son of the original settler was Edward, whose son,
Col. William L. Jackson, married
Harriet Wilson, and became the father of
Judge William L. Jackson.
Jonathan, another son of Edward, was the father of the immortal
Stonewall Jackson.
Brigadier-General Albert Gallatin Jenkins was born in
Cabell county, Va., November 10, 1830, and was educated at the Virginia military institute and Jefferson college, Pa., being graduated at the latter institution in 1848.
He then entered upon the study of law at Harvard college, and in 1850 was admitted to the bar, but never practiced the profession, returning instead to his extensive plantation.
But he did not entirely devote himself to agriculture, taking an active and influential part in public affairs.
He was a delegate to the
National Democratic convention of 1856, and was then elected to the United States Congress, serving in the Thirty-fifth and Thirty-sixth Congresses, from 1857 to 1861.
Upon the secession of
Virginia he heartily supported his State, and while a soldier was elected as one of the representatives of
Virginia in the first congress of the Confederate States, which met at
Richmond, February, 1862.
Here he creditably performed his duties, but it was mainly as a daring and chivalrous cavalry
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officer that he is remembered.
He organized a company of mounted men at the beginning of hostilities, and soon gained the general attention by raiding
Point Pleasant, in the latter part of June, and making prisoners of a number of prominent gentlemen who were conspicuous in the movement for the separation of the
State.
In the battle of
Scary Creek, July 18th, he saved the day at a critical moment; soon had the command of a colonel, became lieutenant-colonel of the Eighth cavalry regiment, and was recognized as one of the leaders in the military occupation of the
Kanawha valley by the
Virginia forces.
After
Wise and
Floyd had retired to
Greenbrier county he remained in the
Guyandotte valley, fighting for his home and the Old Dominion.
He was promoted brigadier-general August 5, 1862, and in the latter part of August and the first of September made a daring raid through
western Virginia, and was the first to unfurl the flag of the
Confederate States in
Ohio.
In his report of this achievement
General Loring wrote: ‘That brilliant and enterprising general executed the plan with such success that in his march of 500 miles he captured 300 prisoners, destroyed many garrisons of home guards and the records of the Wheeling and Federal governments in many counties, and after arming his command completely with captured arms, destroyed at least 5,000 stand of small-arms and immense stores.
Prosecuting at least 20 miles of his march in the
State of Ohio, he exhibited, as he did elsewhere in his march, a policy of such clemency as won us many friends, and tended greatly to mitigate the ferocity which had characterized the war in this section.
The conduct of his officers and men has received my unqualified approbation, and deserves the notice and thanks of the government.’
In March, 1863,
Jenkins made another brilliant raid to the
Ohio river, and three months later he was on the
Susquehanna, before the capital of
Pennsylvania.
In May he was ordered into the Shenandoah valley, in command of the cavalry, with
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headquarters at
Staunton, and in June was ordered northward to report to
General Ewell, with whom he cooper-ated in the defeat of
Milroy at
Winchester.
He fought at
Bunker Hill, and at
Martinsburg led the advance guard of the army to
Chambersburg and made a reconnoissance to
Harrisburg.
He was wounded on the second day of the
Gettysburg battle, but his men, under the command of
Colonel Ferguson, won approval in the cavalry fight of July 3d, and during the retreat to
Virginia, especially at
Williamsport, under the eye of
Stuart.
In the fall
General Jenkins returned to the department of Western Virginia, and in the spring of 1864 was stationed at the narrows of
New river.
Falling back before
Gen. George Crook he collected a force at
Cloyd's mountain, where a gallant fight was made, on May 9th.
In the heat of the conflict
General Jenkins fell, seriously wounded, and was captured and paroled by the enemy.
A Federal surgeon amputated his arm at the shoulder, but he was unable to withstand the shock and died soon afterward.
Brigadier-General John McCausland, one of the most conspicuous figures in the warfare in the
valley of the Shenandoah and on the borders of
Virginia, held important Confederate commands, and gained a national reputation as a brilliant leader and persistent fighter.
He is the son of
John McCausland, a native of county
Tyrone,
Ireland, who came to
America when about twenty-one years of age, and first made his home at
Lynchburg, with
David Kyle, whose daughter Harriet he subsequently married.
He became a prominent merchant and finally resided at
St. Louis, where he rendered valuable service as commissioner of taxation.
His son,
John McCausland, was born at
St. Louis, September 13, 1837, and in 1849 went with his brother to
Point Pleasant, Mason county, where he received a preparatory education.
He was graduated with first honors in the class of 1857 at the Virginia military institute, and subsequently acted as
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assistant professor in that institution until 1861.
Upon the secession of
Virginia he organized the famous Rockbridge artillery, of which he was elected commander; but leaving
Dr. Pendleton in charge of that company, he made his headquarters at
Charleston, in the
Kanawha valley, under commission from
Governor Letcher, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, for the organization of troops in the military department of Western
Virginia.
He gathered about 6,000 men for the commands of
Generals Wise and
Floyd, who subsequently operated in that region, and formed the Thirty-sixth regiment, Virginia infantry, of which he took command, with a commission as colonel.
This regiment, made up of the best blood of the
western Virginia counties, was distinguished under his leadership in the campaign of
Floyd's brigade in
West Virginia, and in the latter part of 1861 moved to
Bowling Green,
Ky., to unite with the army of
Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston.
At
Fort Donelson,
Colonel McCausland commanded a brigade of
Floyd's division, and after bearing a conspicuous part in the gallant and really successful battle before the fort, brought away his
Virginians before the surrender.
After reorganizing at
Nashville, he remained at
Chattanooga with his command until after the
battle of Shiloh, when he moved to
Wytheville, Va. During 1862 and 1863 he was engaged in the campaigns in southwestern and
western Virginia and the Shenandoah valley, under
Generals Loring,
Echols and
Sam Jones, taking a conspicuous part in the
battle at Charleston, September, 1862.
Early in May, 1864, he was ordered by
Gen. A. G. Jenkins to move his brigade from
Dublin to meet the
Federal force advancing under
General Crook from the
Kanawha valley.
He took position on
Cloyd's farm, where he was reinforced by
General Jenkins, and attacked by the enemy May 9th.
After several hours' fighting,
Jenkins was mortally wounded and the
Confederate line was broken by the superior strength of the enemy.
Colonel McCausland
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assumed command and made a gallant fight, forming two new lines successively, and finally retired in good order, repulsing the attacks of the
Federal cavalry, and carrying with him 200 prisoners. In this battle the
Federals outnumbered the
Confederates three to one.
By his subsequent active movements,
General McCausland delayed the contemplated juncture of
Crook and
Hunter and rendered the
Federal movement upon
Dublin a practical failure.
He was immediately promoted brigadiergen-eral and assigned to the command of
Jenkins' cavalry brigade.
After the
battle at Port Republic, June 5th, he stubbornly contested the advance of the
Federals under
Hunter and
Crook, all the way to
Lynchburg, his command of about 1,800 men being the only organized force in the front of the enemy.
His tenacious contest saved the city, and in recognition of his services the citizens presented him an address of congratulation, accompanied by a handsome cavalry officer's outfit, horse, sword and spurs.
Early arrived from Cold Harbor in time to relieve
McCausland from the pressure of the
Federal troops, and
McCausland and his troopers were soon upon their heels, intercepting
Hunter at
Falling Rock, and capturing his artillery and wagon train.
Sweeping on down the valley, he was a conspicuous figure in the July raid through
Maryland, levying $25,000 tribute from
Hagerstown, winning a handsome cavalry fight at Frederick City, and made the first attack at the ford of the
Monocacy across which
Gordon moved to strike the
Federal flank at the defeat of
Wallace.
Joining in the demonstration against
Washington, D. C., the daring commander actually penetrated into the town of
Georgetown, but was compelled to retire before the
Federal reinforcements.
He returned with
Early's army to the Shenandoah valley, and soon afterward was ordered to make a raid upon
Chambersburg, Pa., and destroy it in retaliation for the destruction which attended the operations of the
Federals in the valley.
This duty he faithfully
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performed.
In command of a brigade of
Lomax's cavalry division he participated in the
Valley campaign against
Sheridan, and subsequently, attached to
Rosser's division, fought before
Petersburg, made a gallant struggle at the decisive battle of
Five Forks, during the retreat was engaged in continuous fighting, and finally cutting his way through the
Federal lines at
Appomattox, brought a number of his men to
Lynchburg, where he once more saved the city from rapine by repressing the efforts of the stragglers that infested the suburbs.
After the close of hostilities he spent a year or two in
Europe and
Mexico, and then returned to
Mason county, where he has ever since resided in quiet upon his farm at
Grimm's landing.
