The Life of Stonewall Jackson was written while John Esten Cooke was encamped with General Thomas Jackson and his troops during the Civil War. Based on his personal observations of the General, who was often compared to Napoleon, Cook combines them with information taken from official papers, contemporary narratives and personal acquaintances. "Stonewall" Jackson is considered by military authorities to have been an outstanding leader, skilled tactician and one of the ablest of the Confederate commanders. He earned his popular nickname at the First Battle of Bull Run (1861), where his troops stood against the Union forces "like a stone wall". John Esten Cooke examines Jackson's life from birth, through his career at West Point, as well as his exploits during the Civil war. He describes how the so-called "Stonewall Brigade", combined with troops led by Robert E. Lee, defeated Gen. George B. McClellan and three Union armies at the Battle of Richmond. He examines how Jackson defeated General John Pope, ensuring a Confederate victory at the Second Battle of Bull Run, on to the battle of Chancellorsville on May 2, 1863, where, in a tragic accident, he was shot and fatally wounded by friendly fire. Cooke, a Virginian, tells the fascinating story of Stonewall Jackson, the enigmatic American icon.