Stonewall Jackson and Astrology

[John Lee]

Did Thomas Jonathan Jackson (Stonewall) have an interest on astrology? I have an account of him making a 'reading' in the 1850s with a prediction relating to 1863! This sounds improbable but I would like to know how improbable!

 

[RedRover]

The claim comes from Geneal Joseph W. Revere in his 1872 book "Keel and Saddle." Says he met Jackson on a steamboat in the spring of 1852 near New Orleans, and they had a conversation about astrology, etc., and Jackson later drew up an astrological table portending ill in May, 1863... also claims that at Chancellorsville in May, 1863, after Jackson was shot down in the dark, he rode up to the scene undiscovered in the dark as a Union officer, etc. etc.

Evening Post, NY, 11-8-1872.

General Early investigated the suggestions of Gen. Revere that his acquaintance was "Stonewall," and published his correspondence in the Southern Historical Society Papers. Generally doubtful of the suggestions in Gen. Revere's memoir, and unconvinced that Jackson was the astrologer, and doubting the tale was correctly attributing the acquaintance to Stonewall; also doubting the wounded Confederate officer Revere saw in the woods at Chancellorsville was Jackson...

....

Other lieutenants of the regular army register in 1852 that Revere might have met included some other Jacksons; including one Lt. Thomas K. Jackson in the 8th Infantry (of South Carolina, USMA class of 1844):

 

[John Lee]

Thank you so much for this excellent piece of research so very well presented. I was fairly sure Stonewall could not have been on a Mississipi river boat in 1852 and think Revere may well have met the different T.Jackson here suggested.