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.

The following comes from the Manassas National Battlefield Park Official Site

Did you know that the Barnard Bee Monument on Henry Hill pre-dates the equestrian statue of Thomas J. Jackson? The memorial to Bee was erected in 1939, one year before the statue to Jackson. This image from the time period shows the "Jackson Cedar Monument" -- a cedar tree with an affixed wood sign that commemorated Jackson's stand upon Henry Hill, which was replaced by the addition of the Jackson statue.

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At this point it is important to anyone reading this to know that my ancestors, my great grandfather Riley Phillips and his father Jehu Phillips both served in the Union Army. According to my grandfather, Jehu Phillips was present at the last battle of the Civil War, taking place after the surrender of Lee at Appomattox. I have a picture taken in 1949 of my grandfather standing at the site of that battle The Last Battle of the Civil War Palmetto (Palmito) Hill

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