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to remain unmarried by the age of twenty-four. He had known her for five years now, having met her several times, as he had been a popular visitor to D.H. Hill’s home when he had been at Washington College. He had always thought her a mildly pretty woman and an interesting one, but he had been so very much in love with Elinor Junkin that no other woman touched his mind except in passing.
    Even now as he thought of Ellie, his thoughts, mind, and heart wandered. It had been over a year, and yet the grief and the feeling of loss was still so raw that, unknowing, he drew in a deep, ragged breath, stopped walking, and stared off at the distant blue hills to the east. The Blue Ridge Mountains were wreathed in mysterious smoke as always, and he longed to lose himself in that far place where, it seemed, everything and everyone must be immortal—forever beloved, unhurt, and undying ….

    Anna stopped as Major Jackson paused and watched him with sympathy, for the expression on his face bore some sadness.
    She recalled the first time she had met him. It was at D.H. Hill’s house, on one of Thomas’s many visits to the Lexington house where D.H. and Isabella had entertained on any opportunity permitted. Thomas was generally her escort by default, as Isabella was engaged to D.H. and her younger sister, Eugenia, had many suitors to escort here anywhere and everywhere. Anna admired Major Jackson. He was a true man, it seemed to her, and a strong and genuine person.
    In fact, she wrote to one of her acquaintances:
    More soldierly looking than anything else, his erect bearing and military dress being quite striking; but upon engaging in conversation, his open, animated countenance, and his clear complexion, tinged with the ruddy glow of health, were still more pleasing ….His head was a splendid one, large and finely formed, and covered with soft, dark brown hair, which, if allowed to grow to any length, curled; but he had a horror of long hair for a man … he was at all times manly and noble looking, and when in robust health he was a handsome man
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    When Thomas had announced his engagement to Elinor Junkin, Anna had appeared to wish him the best goodwill, as did her family. She never spoke of her private feelings to anyone. Her sisters did know that she admired Major Jackson, but Anna was reserved, so they never dreamed of intruding upon her by questioning her of her feelings about his marriage. Through those two years of Jackson’s marriage, and the death of his wife and his subsequent mourning, Anna had conducted herself with great aplomb; but whenever she saw him again, she had a sparkle in her soft eyes. She spoke of him often to her sisters and to D.H., but it was always impersonal, regarding the last time they had seen him or reminiscing about old times.
    Anna was reluctant to interrupt his reverie, but it was almost time for the service to begin. Softly she said, “Major Jackson?”
    He came alive again, from that far-off land, and they went into the church, arm in arm.
    Anna hoped that one day he would look at her with that same tender regard she had seen as he stared at the faraway Blue Ridge Mountains.

    D.H., Isabella, Rufus, Eugenia, and Anna left Lexington on Monday, December 17, a week before Christmas. At the train station, Thomas Jackson discreetly asked Anna if he might correspond with her, strictly as a loyal friend. Anna agreed heartily.
    Over the next months, Thomas wrote her nice little letters, about the goings-on at VMI and the coming spring and the beauty of the Shenandoah Valley. In summer he wrote about the great riches of his farm—corn, tomatoes, snap beans, peas, turnips, carrots, squash, celery, and beets. He wrote, mildly and oddly noncommitally, about the growing tensions between North and South on the question of secession.
    Anna saw nothing more of Thomas Jackson until July 1856. Virginia Military Institute planned a particularly extravagant July Fourth celebration. Urged by Uncle William Graham