Melissa Stober, age 14, of St. Augustine, Fla., for her question:

WAS STONEWALL JACKSON HIS REAL NAME?

The famous Confederate soldier "Stonewall" Jackson fought under Gen. Robert E. Lee during the Civil War. His real name was Thomas Jonathan Jackson.

At the first Battle of Bull Run, Jackson's brigade faced overwhelming odds, but formed a strong line and held its ground. Gen. Bernard Bee, trying to rally his Southern troops, saw Jackson's line and shouted, "There's Jackson standing like a stone wall. Let us determine to die here, and he will conquer." From that moment on, Jackson was known as Stonewall and his brigade was known as the Stonewall Brigade.

Although he favored preservation of the Union, Jackson went with his state, Virginia, when it seceded. An unknown when the war started, he soon made a reputation.

Jackson's chief characteristics were his religious nature, his careful attention to military detail, his firm discipline and his capacity to get the maximum efforts from his men.