John King Jackson (February 2, 1828 – February 27, 1866) was an American lawyer and soldier. He served as a Confederate

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, mainly in

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

and the Western Theater of the conflict. Afterward Jackson resumed his law practice until dying from

pneumonia Pneumonia is an Inflammation, inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as Pulmonary alveolus, alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of Cough#Classification, productive or dry cough, ches ...

a year after the war ended.

Early life and career

John King Jackson was born in 1828 in

Augusta, Georgia Augusta is a city on the central eastern border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The city lies directly across the Savannah River from North Augusta, South Carolina at the head of its navigable portion. Augusta, the third mos ...

. He received his education first at Richmond Academy in his home state, and later at the

University of South Carolina The University of South Carolina (USC, SC, or Carolina) is a Public university, public research university in Columbia, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1801 as South Carolina College, It is the flagship of the University of South Car ...

in Columbia, where he graduated "with honors" in 1846. Jackson then began to study law and was admitted to his state's

bar association A bar association is a professional association of lawyers as generally organized in countries following the Anglo-American types of jurisprudence.

in 1848, practicing in Augusta until 1861.Warner, p. 150. In 1849, Jackson married a woman from Columbia County named Virginia L. Hardwick. The couple had three sons together, named Thomas M., William E., and Hardwick. He also was active as an officer in the Georgia State

Militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...

, elected a

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

and later a

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

. By 1861 was serving as a lieutenant colonel, in command of an Augusta

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of up to one thousand soldiers. A battalion is commanded by a lieutenant colonel and subdivided into several Company (military unit), companies, each typically commanded by a Major (rank), ...

Civil War service

When the American Civil War began in 1861, Jackson chose to follow his home state and the Confederate cause. In April he entered the

Confederate Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fi ...

as lieutenant colonel of the 5th Georgia Volunteer Infantry

Regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

, and in May was elected its commander and

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

. Jackson's regiment was ordered to

Pensacola, Florida Pensacola ( ) is a city in the Florida panhandle in the United States. It is the county seat and only incorporated city, city in Escambia County, Florida, Escambia County. The population was 54,312 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. ...

, where he also commanded the post at Pensacola that May and June.Eicher, Civil War High Commands, p. 315. Fort-pickens

Jackson was in command of one of the three battalions which fought in the Confederate defeat during the Battle of Santa Rosa Island on October 8, 1861. Jackson and his regiment remained in Florida for the rest of 1861. On January 14, 1862, he was promoted to brigadier general, assigned command of a

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military unit, military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute ...

in the Army of Pensacola a week later. In February Jackson was sent to Grand Junction, Tennessee, where he was to organize the Confederate soldiers sent there into brigades on their way to

Corinth, Mississippi Corinth is a city in and the county seat of Alcorn County, Mississippi, Alcorn County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,622 at the 2020 census. Its ZIP codes are 38834 and 38835. It lies on the state line with Tennessee. His ...

. Beginning on March 29, he commanded a brigade in the recently created Army of the Mississippi, and led it with distinction during the Battle of Shiloh on April 6–7. During the late evening attack by Maj. Gen.

Braxton Bragg Braxton Bragg (March 22, 1817 – September 27, 1876) was an American army Officer (armed forces), officer during the Second Seminole War and Mexican–American War and Confederate General officers in the Confederate States Army, general in th ...

on April 6, Jackson's men and another brigade charged a strong Union position upon a ridge. Despite being very low on ammunition, the force made "a brave

bayonet A bayonet (from Old French , now spelt ) is a -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ... , now spelt ) is a knife, dagger">knife">-4; we might wonder whethe ...

attack" which was ultimately unsuccessful. During the Kentucky Campaign of 1862, Jackson and his brigade were ordered from

Knoxville Knoxville is a city in Knox County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located on the Tennessee River and had a population of 190,740 at the 2020 United States census. It is the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division ...

to Bridgeport, Alabama, where they were to guard Confederate communications along the railways bridges from

Chattanooga Chattanooga ( ) is a city in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located along the Tennessee River and borders Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the south. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, it is Tennessee ...

to Murfreesboro. Jackson next saw combat during the Stones River Campaign of late 1862. On December 25 Bragg, by now the army's commander, ordered Jackson to leave the bare minimum of his command to protect the rail bridges and join the main force gathering at Murfreesboro. Sent to Lt. Gen. Leonidas Polk for orders, Jackson and his men participated in the Battle of Stones River from December 31 to January 2, 1863. An account of Jackson's participation follows: Missionary Ridge

Following the fight at Stones River, Jackson and his men were sent back to Bridgeport and then again to Chattanooga, ordered to defend railroad communications from

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

to Tullahoma. From February 23 to July 25 he commanded the District of Tennessee of the Confederate Department No. 2. When Bragg's army fell back on that city, Jackson's brigade was assigned to Major General Benjamin F. Cheatham's division of Lieutenant General Leonidas Polk's corps. He fought with distinction during the Battle of Chickamauga on September 19–20, 1863, where one of his regiments, the 5th Georgia, "lost sixty-one per cent in that battle, the second heaviest loss of all the regiments engaged." He participated in the

Chattanooga Campaign The Chattanooga campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in October and November 1863, during the American Civil War. Following the defeat of Major general (United States), Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans's Union Army, Union Army of the C ...

that October and November, most notably in the Battle of Missionary Ridge, where his brigade and that of Brig Gen. John C. Moore greatly slowed the Union breakthrough on November 25. While the Army of Tennessee fell back to Dalton, Georgia, Jackson and his brigade were transferred to Maj. Gen. William H. T. Walker's division on February 20, 1864. He participated in the Atlanta Campaign until July 3, when he was separated from the Army of Tennessee. Jackson and two of his regiments (5th & 47th Georgia) were ordered to

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...

, to report to Maj. Gen. Samuel Jones. There Jones gave him orders to proceed to

Lake City, Florida Lake City is a city in and the county seat of Columbia County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 12,329, up from 12,046 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Lake City Micropolitan Statistica ...

, and relieve Brig. Gen. James P. Anderson, in charge of the District of Florida in the Confederate Department of South Carolina, Georgia, & Florida. Jackson commanded at Florida from August 30 to September 29, 1864. During Sherman's March to the Sea in late 1864, Jackson and his command were then sent to

Savannah, Georgia Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and the county seat of Chatham County, Georgia, Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the Kingdom of Great Brita ...

, and participated in the siege of Savannah. He was given command of the center line in the Confederate defenses, which were evacuated when the city was abandoned that December. Following the actions at Savannah, Jackson was sent to Branchville, South Carolina, where he was to establish military depots as the

quartermaster Quartermaster is a military term, the meaning of which depends on the country and service. In land army, armies, a quartermaster is an officer who supervises military logistics, logistics and requisitions, manages stores or barracks, and distri ...

of the Army of Tennessee. He then went to Cheraw, next to Goldsboro, North Carolina, and finally his home town of Augusta, all for the same purpose. Jackson was in this role when Gen. Joseph E. Johnston surrendered his forces on April 26, 1865, which included the Army of Tennessee. He was paroled from Augusta on May 17 and returned to his civilian life.Eicher, Civil War High Commands, p. 316.

Postbellum career and death

After the American Civil War ended in 1865, Jackson resumed his career as a lawyer in Augusta, Georgia. Several of the state's banks hired Jackson to obtain financial relief from the

Georgia General Assembly The Georgia General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is bicameral, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Each of the General Assembly's 236 members serve two-year terms and are directl ...

on behalf of their

stockholder A shareholder (in the United States often referred to as stockholder) of corporate stock refers to an individual or legal entity (such as another corporation, a body politic, a trust or partnership) that is registered by the corporation as the l ...

s, many of whom were returning Confederate officers. He was on this mission when he was stricken with

while in Milledgeville, located in Baldwin County, Georgia. Jackson died in early 1866, a few weeks after his 38th birthday, and was buried in Augusta's City Cemetery.Warner, p. 151., states Jackson's grave is unmarked.

Notes

References

* Eicher, David J., ''The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War'', Simon & Schuster, 2001, . * Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . * Sifakis, Stewart. ''Who Was Who in the Civil War.'' New York: Facts On File, 1988. . * Wakelyn, Jon L., ''Biographical Dictionary of the Confederacy'', Greenwood Press, 1977, . * Warner, Ezra J. ''Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders.'' Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. .

External links