Two pictures 22 years apart. One supposedly where Stonewall Jackson was shot during the Battle of Chancellorsville in Northern Virginia, near Washington, D.C.   My grandfather, Joseph Phillips in 1939 stands beside a cedar tree that has an inscription regarding that event.   The second taken in 1961 of my sister, Betsy, at the Stonewall Jackson Memorial statue. We were there for VIP Tour of White House, Treasury Department and U.S. State Department as well as marking 100 year anniversary of Union defeat at Manassas.

Taken from National Park Service History – Initial thoughts for a Jackson statue emerged from the seventy-fifth anniversary reenactment of the first battle, held 21 July 1936. Sponsored by the National Park Service, a local community organization, and the Manassas-Prince William County Chamber of Commerce, the event brought 2,000 Army and Marine Corps troops onto the field that had witnessed the climax of operations in 1861. During these festivities, Coordinating Superintendent Spalding suggested erecting a "suitable monument" for Jackson to replace the poorly lettered sign that marked the historic site. No action was taken until 1938 when the Virginia legislature appropriated funds and the Sons of Confederate Veterans included a provision for its construction in its deed of conveyance with the federal government.

Grandfather Joe Phillips, then an agent with the U.S. Treasury Department at “Cedar Tree” – 1939 that has inscription marked where Stonewall was wounded May 2, 1863 at Chancellorsville. HERE is the National Park Service site for Wounding of Jackson.

Sister Betsy at the foot and rear of Stonewall Memorial Manassas Battlefield – 1961 – The statue dedicated August 31, 1940 tied the bronze statue national battlefield park to the events surrounding World War II. Mounted atop an eight-foot base of black granite etched with Brig. Gen. Barnard Bee's immortal phrase, "There Stands Jackson Like a Stone Wall,"

Inscription is readable - “Here Jackson was wounded and earned the title of STONEWALL May 2, 1863.” Where exactly was this tree. Some photos of the actual place can be found HERE and HERE

“HERE STANDS JACKSON LIKE A STONEWALL” My family were invited to Washington to visit. My brother George Edward Payne and family were home from Yugoslavia and his first tour with the U.S. State Department. Agent Floyd Boring, second in charge of President John F. Kennedy's protection detail had signed a V.I.P. pass for us to the White House and we were lucky enough to tour the Oval Office, since President Kennedy was making a speech at the U.S. State Department. We were hurried over to the State Department after the tour and were able to wave at President Kennedy from the parking garage of the U.S. State Department. Little did I know I would work in that building some 10 years later.

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