Confederate General Thomas J. Jackson received the nickname “Stonewall” after the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861. During the battle, Jackson’s Virginia brigade held its position on Henry House Hill while other Confederate units were under intense pressure.
According to the traditional account, Brigadier General Barnard E. Bee urged his wavering troops to rally behind Jackson, declaring that he stood like a stone wall. Jackson’s brigade helped stop the Union assault, and newspapers soon popularized “Stonewall” as Jackson’s enduring nickname. His troops later became known as the Stonewall Brigade.
The exact wording and intention of Bee’s remark are debated because Bee was mortally wounded soon afterward and left no detailed account. Some historians believe the phrase was praise; others argue it may initially have criticized Jackson for not moving sooner. Whatever Bee intended, the nickname became inseparable from Jackson’s reputation as a defensive commander and later Valley Campaign leader.