- Joined
- Feb 23, 2013
- Location
- East Texas
Well, the fish took the bait! Professor Robertson, you say? The author of the acclaimed Stonewall Jackson The Man, The Soldier, The Legend ? I obtained my autographed copy of that widely lauded book in its year of publication, 1997, at its official debut in Blacksburg, VA, and have read and reread it. I also have had occasion in the past to communicate with Bud Robertson about other Civil War projects of mine, and he has always been extremely gracious. I may hold this fellow Virginian in even higher esteem than you, and you are correct that he is universally recognized as the expert on General Thomas Jackson.
On June 15, 2015 (that would be yesterday) I sent an E mail to Professor Robertson. I copy it here for you:
"Dear Mr. Robertson,
You have kindly assisted me in the past with a query about my ancestors in Company E, 2nd VA Cav. I wonder if I might solicit your brief comments on a different topic.
I have attached my article about the etiology of Gen. Jackson’s monikers of “Old Blue Light” and “The Blue Light Elder.” For years, I have scoffed at the explanation that it was because of the color of his eyes, confident that the obvious etymology was based upon his religious faith. I believe that modern historians have wrongly linked the period descriptions of his flashing eyes with the nicknames, and I find no Jackson contemporaries who claim anything but his fervent Christianity as the inspiration for these monikers.
I concede that this is a minor point, and changing the modern narrative will have no impact upon how Jackson is viewed. It is only a niggling detail which I would like to see corrected. Should you have a minute or so to scan my article, I would be grateful for any comments on the subject."
Best regards,
Christopher Rucker, MD
Spartanburg, SC
Professor Robertson replied to me on June 16 (today). I copy his E mail here for you:
"Dr. Rucker:
I agree completely with your deduction. "Old Blue Light" referred to the depth of Jackson's faith. In research on my book, I remember encountering a source suggesting the name came from the eye color of Calvinist Oliver Cromwell.
Until your essay, I never thought any debate existed over the origin of "Blue Light." Thanks for adding your voice to the correct choir.
James I. Robertson, Jr
And thank you, Mr. Robertson. I'm offering this as the last word on the subject. Stonewall Jackson was called "Old Blue Light" and "The Blue Light Elder" because of his religious faith, and not because of his eye color.
Although I agree with you about James Robertson being a gentleman of the first order - at least he appeared so to me the only time I ever met him, and like you I plied him with a question - I think it would have moved this discussion along more smoothly to have simply quoted this correspondence in the first place rather than attempting to "bait" others like long-time member cash into foolish arguments which reflect credit on no one.