Stonewall Jackson's lemons

[JPinta]

Just yesterday I was driving down the valley and stopped for lunch in Lexington. I drove right past the Stonewall cemetery and couldn't resist just driving in given that I was right there. I snapped this quick photograph because I was a bit surprised by how many lemons were at his grave! After more than 150 years after his death there is still steady stream of lemons dropped off there in honor of the general and his notorious love of the sour fruit. Thought someone else here might get a kick out of this as well.

 

[kevikens]

Considering the internal transportation problems of the Confederacy and the Union naval blockade, wherever did Jackson's lemons come from?

 

[W. Richardson]

I have visited Jackson's grave site in Lexington 4 different times and have deposited lemons on each occasion. Each time there were numerous lemons already placed there. My 2 grandsons enjoyed giving the "old fellow" a few lemons, also I have read he was partial to peaches as well, but I don't recall ever seeing peaches at his grave.

Respectfully,

William

 

[W. Richardson]

Considering the internal transportation problems of the Confederacy and the Union naval blockade, wherever did Jackson's lemons come from?

Probably form the same source the Confederacy obtained most of it's supplies and equipment................The United States Army.............

Respectfully,

William

 

[John Winn]

Thanks for the photo ! I've always wanted to visit that cemetery (I've got some relatives there) but doubt I'll ever do so. Now I have a little bit of vision.

 

[Stony]

Imho the lemon thing is a little overstated. Jackson liked all kinds of fruit. Peaches were his favorite.

 

[Littlestown]

"Is it true that Jackson loved lemons?
Jackson was very concerned about his health and followed a strict diet which emphasized fruits and vegetables. Although he enjoyed almost every variety of fruit, he had no special fondness for lemons; in fact, peaches were his favorite. Civil War historian James I. Robertson, Jr., Jackson's biographer, states that "no member of Jackson's staff, no friend, not even his wife ever mentioned Jackson had a particular penchant for lemons," and refers to the "lemon myth." It is true that Jackson was observed eating lemons on several occasions during the war; this was due only to the fact that he ate whatever fruit was available. When the Confederates captured a Union camp, lemons were sometimes among the food stores that they confiscated; the Union soldiers received lemons and other fruits more frequently than did their Confederate counterparts. Despite the historical inaccuracy, the story remains popular. Tourists who visit Jackson's gravesite at Lexington, Virginia, often leave lemons as a tribute." http://www.vmi.edu/archives.aspx?id=3761

 

[W. Richardson]

Imho the lemon thing is a little overstated. Jackson liked all kinds of fruit. Peaches were his favorite.

I have read he did like peaches too, but have not ran across a source that I recall that stated they were his favored. Not sure I have ever read lemons were his favored either.....lol......I agree I think he enjoyed all kinds of fruit.

Respectfully,

William

 

[W. Richardson]

"Is it true that Jackson loved lemons?
Jackson was very concerned about his health and followed a strict diet which emphasized fruits and vegetables. Although he enjoyed almost every variety of fruit, he had no special fondness for lemons; in fact, peaches were his favorite. Civil War historian James I. Robertson, Jr., Jackson's biographer, states that "no member of Jackson's staff, no friend, not even his wife ever mentioned Jackson had a particular penchant for lemons," and refers to the "lemon myth." It is true that Jackson was observed eating lemons on several occasions during the war; this was due only to the fact that he ate whatever fruit was available. When the Confederates captured a Union camp, lemons were sometimes among the food stores that they confiscated; the Union soldiers received lemons and other fruits more frequently than did their Confederate counterparts. Despite the historical inaccuracy, the story remains popular. Tourists who visit Jackson's gravesite at Lexington, Virginia, often leave lemons as a tribute." http://www.vmi.edu/archives.aspx?id=3761

Works for me and thanks for posting...............IMHO to eat a lemon at all, one must "like it" but I am sure they were not his favored.......lol, after all it was a lemon of a fruit

Respectfully,

William

 

[diane]

That's a great picture! I can't think about eating a lemon without a lot of sugar... However, Jackson was peculiar sometimes. He got himself stuck in a persimmon tree going after some fruit, which he was happily eating while his guys figured out a way to get him out of the tree. One staff member wondered why Jackson wanted the persimmons...they were green!

 

[W. Richardson]

That's a great picture! I can't think about eating a lemon without a lot of sugar... However, Jackson was peculiar sometimes. He got himself stuck in a persimmon tree going after some fruit, which he was happily eating while his guys figured out a way to get him out of the tree. One staff member wondered why Jackson wanted the persimmons...they were green!

With Jackson eating lemons and green persimmons, perhaps we should call him....... Thomas "pucker" Jackson ? lol
Thank you for reminding me about the persimmon adventure.................lol

Respectfully,

William

 

[AUG]

Considering the internal transportation problems of the Confederacy and the Union naval blockade, wherever did Jackson's lemons come from?

Probably form the same source the Confederacy obtained most of it's supplies and equipment................The United States Army.............

Respectfully,

William

If troops were able to obtain fruits or vegetables it was usually from the local civilian populace, whether it be sold, given, or taken.

 

[W. Richardson]

If troops were able to obtain fruits or vegetables it was usually from the local civilian populace, whether it be sold, given, or taken.

I agree, the civilian population was another area where supplies, such as food was gained from.

Respectfully,

William

 

[JPinta]

...Despite the historical inaccuracy, the story remains popular. Tourists who visit Jackson's gravesite at Lexington, Virginia, often leave lemons as a tribute." http://www.vmi.edu/archives.aspx?id=3761

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing, I was unaware that his popular preference for lemons wasn't historically attested. Well I can now personally attest to the accuracy of that last statement!

I suppose at the end of the day no harm no foul that people leave him lemons. I'm sure if he were still around he wouldn't turn them down! Maybe next time I pass through I'll leave a peach and see if I can get a new trend started

 

[Allie]

With Jackson eating lemons and green persimmons, perhaps we should call him....... Thomas "pucker" Jackson ? lol
Thank you for reminding me about the persimmon adventure.................lol

Respectfully,

William

I'm reminded of one of my own adventures, when I was in third grade and a boy tricked me into eating a green persimmon! Jackson must have had the palate of a goat, to enjoy such a thing.

 

[kevikens]

OK, so Confederates might have gotten lemons from the local civilian population but where would THEY have gotten lemons from? I know that in the 19th century oranges were such an uncommon fruit in the North that their being given as a X-mas gift was considered a rare treat. Somebody more familiar with citrus fruits can best answer this question, but in the 1860's was there a citrus crop being harvested in Florida? Does Northern Florida (the region of Florida most settled in 1860) support a citrus crop? Were lemons being grown in other Gulf states? If any of this lemon growing in the deep South was going on how would they have gotten to Virginia's Shenandoah Valley? I cannot imagine Rhett Butler carrying crates of lemons next to the Enfields and chloroform picked up in Nassau. If somehow the Confederates were looting Union supply depots or commissary wagons (for citrus fruit ?) how many of them were likely to be stocked with lemons? Was there some great demand for lemons among Union soldiers that suttlers were carrying them about in their wagons for Confederates to serendipitously find?

My suspicions are that somewhere, sometime, someone thought they observed Stonewall sucking on a lemon and since that is oddball behavior and Jackson was most eccentric (some might say obsessive-compulsive) in many ways, it just seemed both natural and plausible that if anyone was sucking lemons it was foolish Tom Jackson. I think it time to commit this one to Mythbusters for authenticating.

 

[Allie]

OK, so Confederates might have gotten lemons from the local civilian population but where would THEY have gotten lemons from? I know that in the 19th century oranges were such an uncommon fruit in the North that their being given as a X-mas gift was considered a rare treat. Somebody more familiar with citrus fruits can best answer this question, but in the 1860's was there a citrus crop being harvested in Florida? Does Northern Florida (the region of Florida most settled in 1860) support a citrus crop? Were lemons being grown in other Gulf states? If any of this lemon growing in the deep South was going on how would they have gotten to Virginia's Shenandoah Valley? I cannot imagine Rhett Butler carrying crates of lemons next to the Enfields and chloroform picked up in Nassau. If somehow the Confederates were looting Union supply depots or commissary wagons (for citrus fruit ?) how many of them were likely to be stocked with lemons? Was there some great demand for lemons among Union soldiers that suttlers were carrying them about in their wagons for Confederates to serendipitously find?

My suspicions are that somewhere, sometime, someone thought they observed Stonewall sucking on a lemon and since that is oddball behavior and Jackson was most eccentric (some might say obsessive-compulsive) in many ways, it just seemed both natural and plausible that if anyone was sucking lemons it was foolish Tom Jackson. I think it time to commit this one to Mythbusters for authenticating.

I seem to recall Mary Chesnut mentioning giving oranges to people from her family's orangery during the war - may not be Mary but it's a Confederate woman's diary. Wasn't there definitely an orangery at Arlington? Regardless, there's your answer: people grew them in greenhouses.

 

[kevikens]

I have to admit that it is certainly possible that citrus fruits were being grown in Virginia or Carolina greenhouses. Does anyone reading this from the South know if it actually was being done circa 1860's, close enough for delivery to the ANV? I have to confess that this discussion is going to set me off researching "Southern greenhouses in the Civil War era and what they grew in them". I still think, though, that Jackson was spotted eating some kind of fruit native to the Shenandoah Valley that resembled a lemon at a distance.

 

[Allie]

I have to admit that it is certainly possible that citrus fruits were being grown in Virginia or Carolina greenhouses. Does anyone reading this from the South know if it actually was being done circa 1860's, close enough for delivery to the ANV? I have to confess that this discussion is going to set me off researching "Southern greenhouses in the Civil War era and what they grew in them". I still think, though, that Jackson was spotted eating some kind of fruit native to the Shenandoah Valley that resembled a lemon at a distance.

They were pretty common in both the North and South. A few survive today:

.
The oldest-known extant orangery in American can be seen at the Wye Plantation, near Tunis Mills (Easton), Maryland. This orangery sits behind the main house and consists of a large open room with two smaller wings added at some point after the initial construction. The south-facing wall consists of large triple-hung windows. A second story was traditionally part of the style of orangeries at the time of its construction in the middle to late 18th century as a way of further insulating the main section where the plants were kept. According to the current resident, Ms. Tilghman (a descendent of the Lloyd family), it served as a billiards room for the family. This plantation is also notable as having been the home ofFrederick Douglass as a young slave boy. The orangery is described in the book Glass Houses, as is the orangery at Mount Airy.

Ms. Tilghman notes that plants are still stored inside the building in winter, but a frame has been constructed to hold the houseplants, and the whole of the frame is covered with plastic to keep in moisture. In this way, the plants do not have to be watered through the entire winter.

Another orangery stands at Hampton National Historic Site near Towson, Maryland. Originally built in 1820, it was part of one of the most extensive collections of citrus trees in the U.S. by the mid-19th century.[15] The current structure is a reconstruction built in the 1970s to replace the original, which burned in 1926.[16]

The orangery at the Battersea Historic Site in Petersburg, Virginia is currently under restoration. Originally built between 1823 and 1841, it was converted into a garage in a later period.[17]

An 18th-century style orangery was built in the 1980s at the Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, Massachusetts. Another early 19th century example can also be seen atDumbarton Oaks in Washington, D.C. It was built in 1810, and is now used to house gardenias, oleander and citrus plants during the winter.[18]

They ceased being as common when imported oranges became more available - the Civil War was towards the end of the period when they were in use.

 

[diane]

I believe it was Richard Taylor who started the lemon thing. He related that when he rode up and first met Jackson, the general was munching on a lemon!

Citrus was hard to get. At Petersburg, Lee went all over the countryside to find a lemon as his wife used them in a concoction for her arthritis. He managed to find three shriveled up ones and sent them on to her. As others have mentioned, Jackson ate whatever fruit he found - apparently ripe or not! He was close to being a vegetarian as a matter of fact.