Stonewall Jackson's Arm
Hello all!
Today I just want to share a story about my yearly Civil War field trip - and a little trip we all decided to take just because. But first, some context. Every spring, I take my Civil War class from Los Angeles to the D.C. area, which we use a home base for a series of adventures that take us to Richmond, Harper’s Ferry, Gettysburg, Antietam, and of course, Washington. Last year we were kicking around some ideas and decided to take a side trip and visit the grave of Stonewall Jackson’s arm.
If you are not familiar with the story, Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson, one of the Confederacy’s most talented and formidable generals, was accidentally shot by his own troops shortly after his smashing victory at Chancellorsville on May 2, 1863. As as result of his wounds, a surgeon amputated his left arm and buried it in the family plot of a local plantation - Ellwood Manor - on May 3. A few days later, Jackson succumbed to pneumonia - and thus ended the life of the storied Rebel commander. He would go on in Confederate lore to reign second only to Robert E. Lee in the Confederate pantheon of heroes.
Well as it turned out, we happened to be sort of close by on May 3, 2023 - the 160th anniversary of the appendage’s burial. So naturally, we figured out how to get to the spot and off we went. To our surprise, we were the only visitors that day. We had a lively talk about the legend of Stonewall’s arm. Some swear it’s still there - some are more suspect. If you are really interested, check out Tony Horwitz’s Confederates in the Attic. There’s a great piece on the arm in this wonderful publication.
Anyway, we had a great talk about legends and Lost Cause mythology, Confederate history (and the intersection of the two), and how we as a people go about memorializing or in other ways paying tribute to individuals. It’s a really interesting conversation to have in front of such a modest marker, especially since we had previously visited the extraordinary monuments at Gettysburg in all their glory.
What was especially fun was that we encountered a couple of elderly grounds keepers who were there that particular day to mow the grass. We all got to talking and they turned out to be Westerners (like us!) who had married Virginian women and moved to the Old Dominion…and embraced a fairly Confederate version of Civil War history. I would like to point out that both men were exceptionally kind and welcoming and they loved talking with the kids, who all asked engaging and probing questions. They were open minded and respectful (and they unlocked the bathrooms for us - thank you!!) and I think we learned a lot from each other about how people understand history and incorporate it into their lives.
The moral of the story: we can acknowledge our differences and still treat each other respectfully. We went kinda out of our way to see the grave of a guy’s arm that may or may not even be there, we made some new friends, and had a moment for reflection involving historical interpretation and historical memory. There was disagreement - but productive conversation too.
If you ever get the chance to visit the grave of Stonewall’s arm, take it. The scenery alone is a sight to behold and you just might meet some cool people.
With compliments,
Keith