I was born Thomas Jonathan Jackson on 1/21/1824 in the town of 
Clarksburg, VA.  My Mom and Dad died when I was three, so I went 
to live with my Uncle. I went to a small country school and 
learned the 3-R's:  Readin' Ritin' & Rithmetic.  I also learned 
about Fishin' - I just love to fish in a good pond.  I'm real 
good at Bass fishin'!! 

After my school days, I wanted more schoolin'.  I just couldn't 
get enough learnin' about history and military stuff.  That's why 
I wanted to go to US Military Academy at West Point. I figured the 
best way to get there was to go ask the President of the United 
States, so I walked from Virgina to Washington, D.C.  I couldn't 
see the President because he was busy, so I met with his Secretary 
of War.  He liked me and granted me an appointment to the Academy.  
This was a GOOD THING!!

I got a good learnin' at the Academy.  They taught me about war 
stategy, weapons and battle tactics. They were real strict about 
discipline, making us get up real early in the morning.  But it was 
FUN, and in the year of 1846 at the age of 22, I graduated from West 
Point.  I was REAL proud - an I went right from the Academy into the 
US Army as a lieutenant. This began the second part of my life.