When Great-Great Grandpa Rescued "Mudwall"
Jackson
By S. E. Allen
Brig. Gen. William L. "Mudwall" Jackson,
"The Fighting Judge," one of Stonewall Jackson's cousins.
How proud veterans of the WBTS would be when they could say,
"I fought with Stonewall Jackson! I was in Jackson's foot
cavalry." and how proud the descendants of those veterans
are today.
I can't say that; I have to say, "Mine fought with Mudwall
Jackson."
I am in awe when I think of Stonewall Jackson, a military
genius and a man of shining character. I just feel humble when
I think of him. He is up there on a pedestal. He just seems more
like a hero in a book than ever real.
But when I read about his Jackson cousins in Parkersburg,
West Virginia, Stonewall becomes more human because they were
very very human people.
Great Great Grandfather Elton Roby Riggs and his three brothers,
Steve, Arthur and George, lived at St. Mary's Virginia, not too
far from Parkersburg, and are all listed as having served in the
Confederacy. (WV Department of Archives)
"Thomas Jonathan Jackson was born January 21, 1824, probably
at Parkersburg. Parkersburg and Clarksburg both claim to be his
birthplace. An early newspaper article stated his mother was visiting
on Neale's Island at Parkersburg a few days before his birth.
It claimed the information was obtained from a letter his mother
had written. .... Regardless of claims, there is now no known
authentic information in relation to the actual place of his birth."
(_Wood County, West Virginia In Civil War Times_ by Matheny.)
Two of his well known cousins were Gen. William Lowther "Mudwall"
Jackson and Gen. John Jay Jackson, Gen. of Militia.
Gen. W. L. Jackson was also a judge and known for having a
temper in courtroom. In May, 1861, three men were arrested as
suspected would be CSA guerrillas. The Yankees had already taken
over the area and wanted to try the men in a military court.
Judge William L. Jackson informed the Yankees that it was
a civilian matter. The prosecuting attorney, James M. Jackson,
said that the three men were going to destroy a railroad bridge
and should be tried in a military court. Judge W. L. dismissed
the case. The prosecutor was furious.
The two Jacksons started screaming at each other in the courtroom.
W. L. told James M. to shut up and ordered the prosecutor confined
in jail under a bench warrant for contempt in court.
Then one spectator jumped up with a pistol in his hand and
other fire arms appeared. It looked like Judge W. L. was going
to be killed. Confederates in the courtroom immediately surrounded
Judge Jackson and took him home. Judge Jackson knew the Yanks
would soon arrest him and he left a few minutes later.
Judge W. L. went south and contacted his cousin, Stonewall
Jackson and the judge became a member of Jackson's staff.
Judge William L. Jackson was later commissioned commander
of the 19th Virginia Cavalry, a unit composed mostly of Western
Virginians.
After the fussing Jackson cousins, you probably will want
to know what is my connection with Mudwall, so here is the story
from the newspaper:
"The Saint Marys Oracle, newspaper published at Saint
Marys, W.Va., in its June 9, 1949 issue, tells of my great great
grandfather and his brother Arthur P. Riggs, saving the life of
Colonel William "Mudwall" Jackson. This story with more
detail, has long been history in my family. The paper states in
part, "The Escape of Mudwall Jackson." Our story takes
place in the second year of the Civil War, and Colonel William
"Mudwall" Jackson was, for some unknown reason, staying
at the hotel being operated by Elton Riggs and his brother Author.
In some manner, the Riggs brothers heard that the Home Guard,
headed by James Pethtel, was about to attack and capture Colonel
Jackson. There was no time for escape, but the proprietors held
off the attack with a brace of a cap and ball pistols on a stairway,
and Colonel Jackson made good his escape to the river and vanished
in the darkness. In appreciation at the end of the war Col. Jackson
gave to Elton and his brother Arthur, each a silver cup engraved
with name and date."
The West Virginia archives records state that Arthur P. and
Stephen Riggs were listed as captains. Whether they were in Mudwall's
cavalry or elsewhere the records do not say.
I hope y'all enjoyed the story. By the way, Stonewall never
forgot his cousins and it is thought the last time he was able
to visit them was in 1860 and actually, when you think about it,
Stonewall was born farther North than I was!!! :)