General Robert E. Lee is one of the most noblest Americans ever. He was the son of George Washington's cavalry commander Gen. Henry 'Light Horse Harry' Lee and Ann Hill Carter Lee of Shirley. Lee married Mary Anna Custis of Arlington House, the great-granddaughter of Martha Washington (wife of George Washington) Robert E. Lee was a distinguished cadet at West Point, a Mexican American War Hero and Superintendent of West Point. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Lee was offered command of the Union Armies, but chose to resign his command rather than murder his fellow Virginians who sided with the Southern States after President Lincoln's call for military invasion and War. Like most Virginians, he had hoped to avoid a war that tore apart a country that his father helped found and his uncles had signed the Declaration of Independence to achieve. As arguably one of the Confederacy's most successful military leaders, he was eventually forced to surrender the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox whereupon he became an advocate for reconciliation and rebuilding which culminated with his presidency of what would become Washington & Lee University located just miles from Lee-Jackson Memorial Park. Lee is buried in the Lee Chapel upon the campus grounds.
"There stands Jackson like a stonewall, rally behind the Virginians" General Bernard Bee. Thomas J. Jackson was born to much more humble beginnings than his "model partner" in battle Robert E. Lee. Jackson was from the western part of Virginia in Clarksburg (now West Virginia). His father left the family destitute upon his death when Jackson was only three and his mother was unable to properly care for him and his sister, so he was sent to live with an uncle at Jackson's Mill. He had somewhat of a rambunctious upbringing and was poorly prepared when he was accepted into U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Jackson persevered by shear determination to graduate according to one of his favorite maxims "you may be whatever you resolve to be." Jackson served in the U.S. Army and was a Mexican War Hero. He later resigned his commission and became an instructor at the relatively new Virginia Military Academy in Lexington, Virginia where he married his first wife Elinor Junkin the daughter of nearby Washington College President George Junkin. "Ellie" unfortunately died in childbirth along with Jackson's stillborn son which was a devastating blow. Jackson had become a devout Presbyterian and three years later would marry a minister's daughter, Marry Anna Morrison. Soon thereafter, Jackson was ordered to take the VMI Cadets to Richmond with the outbreak of hostilities. Like Robert E. Lee, Jackson was not a secessionist, but he answered the call to his native state when war became inevitable. Jackson earned his famous nickname at the 1st Battle of Manassas and would command great-success and fame in his Shenanadoah Valley Campaign. He became Lee's right-hand man and one can only speculate how the war may have turned out had he not fallen to wounds received from friendly-fire at the Battle of Chancellorsville. Jackson had one final joy in life which was seeing his newborn daughter Julia Laura Jackson prior to the battle and just prior to his death.
One of the first reasons that we sought to establish Lee-Jackson Memorial Park was to find a suitable home for the Colonel William H. Harman monument which was rescued from Waynesboro, Virginia by Mark Harman and the Harman Family Association. The monument which had previously been removed from its original site to another city park was vandalized and the city decided to remove it rather than expend resources to defend it. The monument was originally placed by the J.E.B. Stuart United Daughters of the Confederacy Chapter in 1926 near the place where Col. Harman made a final gallant stand during the Battle of Waynesboro upon refusing to surrender when the Confederate lines broke during Jubal Early's final attempt to defend the Shenandoah Valley in March of 1865 just weeks prior to Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox.
For more information on Col. Harman visit:
For more information on the Battle of Waynesboro visit:
https://waynesboroheritagefoundation.com/2013/07/civil-war-remembering-the-battle-of-waynesboro/
Fore more history on the monument visit:
Above is a photo taken of the Col. William H. Harman monument before its relocation. The monument is planned to be placed in Lee-Jackson Memorial Park in the spring of 2024
A monument commemorating the South Carolina troops that defended the Shenandoah
Valley will be erected in Lee-Jackson Memorial Park in Rockbridge County, Virginia. The
monument will be placed beside a North Carolina monument commemorating the North
Carolina troops that also defended. the Shenandoah Valley. Both monuments will be
identical in appearance, and placed together will be a fitting tribute to the fact that we are Sister States. Fundraising for the South Carolina monument will be spearheaded by
Secession Camp 4.
Secession Camp 4 respectfully requests support for this project from all SCV Camps,
compatriots, and like-minded individuals. Camps and organizations donating $500.00 or
more will be recognized on the rear of the monument as major contributors. Donations may be mailed to, Secession Camp #4, P.O. Box 12039, Charleston, S.C., 29422. Please make checks payable to Secession Camp #4, and reference "SC Shenandoah Monument." For more information contact Charles Long at csasc6165@gmail.com or call (843) 870-5017.
There is no better way to preserve the memory of these great Americans than in stone!
If you interested in supporting the installation of this monument please consider downloading the flier below to see how to donate for this monument.
A monument commemorating the North Carolina troops that defended the Shenandoah
Valley will be erected in Lee-Jackson Memorial Park in Rockbridge County, Virginia. The
monument will be placed beside a South Carolina monument commemorating the South
Carolina troops that also defended the Shenandoah Valley. Both monuments will be
identical in appearance, and placed together will be a fitting tribute to the fact that we are Sister States. Fundraising for the North Carolina monument will be spearheaded by The Robert E. Lee Confederate Heritage Association.
The Robert E. Lee Confederate Heritage Association respectfully requests support for this
project from all historical organizations, SCV Camps, and like-minded individuals.
Organizations and Camps donating $500.00 or more will be recognized on the rear of the
monument as major contributors. Donations may be mailed to, Lauren Austin Moody, 1270 Whitney Drive, Aberdeen, N.C., 28315. Please make checks payable to UDC Stonewall
Jackson Chapter 220, and reference "NC Shenandoah Monument." For more information
contact Larry Walker at colonellamb@yahoo.com or call (704) 231-8446.
There is no better way to preserve the memory of these great Americans than in stone!
If you interested in supporting the installation of this monument please consider downloading the flier below to see how to donate for this monument.
Copyright © 2023 Lee-Jackson Memorial Park, LLC. - All Rights Reserved.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.