User blog:SPARTAN 119/Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson vs John Nicholson

Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, the Confederate military tactician whose masterful military tactics won the battles of Manassas, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville for the South

VS

John Nicholson, the Irish officer of the British East India Company, who fought in three different wars and ruled the Punjab region with an iron fist- and his trademark iron club.

WHO IS DEADLIEST?!

=Combatants=

Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson
Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, and one of the best-known Confederate commanders after General Robert E. Lee. His military career includes the Valley Campaign of 1862 and his service as a corps commander in the Army of Northern Virginia under Robert E. Lee. Confederate pickets accidentally shot him at the Battle of Chancellorsville on May 2, 1863. The general survived with the loss of an arm to amputation, but died of complications from pneumonia eight days later. His death was a severe setback for the Confederacy, affecting not only its military prospects, but also the morale of its army and of the general public.

Jackson in death became an icon of Southern heroism and commitment, joining Lee in the pantheon of the "Lost Cause".

Military historians consider Jackson to be one of the most gifted tactical commanders in U.S. history. His Valley Campaign and his envelopment of the Union Army right wing at Chancellorsville are studied worldwide even today as examples of innovative and bold leadership. He excelled as well in other battles; the First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas) where he received his famous nickname "Stonewall", Second Bull Run (Second Manassas), Antietam, and Fredericksburg. Jackson was not universally successful as a commander, however, as displayed by his weak and confused efforts during the Seven Days Battles around Richmond in 1862.

(From Wikipedia)

John Nicholson
Little is known about Nicholson's early life except that he was born in Lisburn Ireland, and at 16, his uncle, a member of Parliament, bought him an officer's commission with the British East India Company's Bengal Infantry. Nicholson's first action came in the First Anglo-Afghan War of 1839-1842, where he led a platoon of Sepoy infantry at the siege of Ghazni, assaulting the fortified city under constant fire and engaging in close combat with the Afghan warriors defending the city. Nicholson went on to lead an ambush on Afghan forces and, after being captured in battle, escape captivity by bribing the guard. However, by the time Nicholson had made his way back to British territory, the British military had fled Afghanistan in defeat.

A few years later, however, in 1845, the British East India Company invaded the Sikh Empire in the Punjab region. Nicholson playing a major role in the taking of the cities of Multan and Attock, in spite of his sustaining a dagger wound in Multan. After the battle, he was made the colonial administrator of Punjab, at that time a lawless region. Nicholson learned to speak Urdu and learned the local customs, however, he was very harsh with his dispensation of justice, ordering executions without trial. He survived two assassination attempts, after one, when he discovered his food was poisoned, he had the whole kitchen staff hanged. He also personally killed a dagger-wielding assassin by shooting him at point blank range with a rifle and engaged in personal combat with an outlaw, beheading him with his sword and keeping the severed head on his desk as warning to those who opposed him.

Nicholson saw military action one final time, when he was ordered to Delhi, which was in the midst of the 1857 Indian Mutiny. The rebels held the city, and the British and Gurkha forces in the area were demoralized and fatigued. Nicholson discovered the incompetent commanding general had not posted any troops to escort a supply train of artillery, so he personally led a force of 2500 men and routed a large 6000-man force sent to attack the supply train, losing only 800 of his own men. After the guns were delivered, the general still failed to attack, so Nicholson, who his troops now called "the General" though he was only a captain, appealed from the commanding general to be removed from power. After this, the general finally allowed an assault, in which Nicholson personally led a unit of Multani cavalry. During the battle, Nicholson was shot by a sniper and mortally wounded. He died nine days later.

=Weapons=

Bowie Knife (Stonewall)
The Bowie knife is a large fighting and hunting knife. The weapon was allegedly first made by James Black in the early 1800s and popularized by famous frontiersman Jim Bowie. The Bowie knife is a characterized by its length, typically over 12 inches, and its clip point.

Kukri (Nicholson)
thumb|100px The Kukri, or Khukuri, is a forward-curved, machete-like knife used by the Gurkhas of Nepal, a fierce, warlike people who, after first fighting against the British in the early 1800s, later worked as mercenaries with the armies of Britain, and, after the independence of various British colonies, the military and police forces in of Singapore, Nepal, and India. The kukri itself is used both for combat, and as a utility knife for cutting brush etc, contrary to the legend that a Gurkha must draw blood every time they unsheathe the kukri, even if it means cutting themselves. Nicholson commanded Gurkhas in the Siege of Delhi, so Nicholson's soldiers, if not Nicholson himself, would have carried the weapon.

119's Edge
Nicholson's kukri for its greater size and thus, longer reach.

Arkansas Toothpick (Stonewall)
An Arkansas Toothpick is a large, straight-bladed, double-edged dagger, which, like the Bowie knife, was also supposedly first produced by blacksmith James Black in the early 19th century. The weapon has a very long blade of 12-20 inches, with some specimens bordering on being a short sword. The weapon can be used for cutting, slashing, and throwing.

Iron Club (Nicholson)
John Nicholson was known for carrying a wrought iron club for self defense and "persuading" others. I could not find any specifics on the weapon, but I would assume it to be of about the same length the Arkansas toothpick.

119's Edge
Stonewall's Arkansas Toothpick for its greater killing ability.

Model 1850 Officer's Sword (Stonewall)
The Model 1850 was the most commonly used sword in the American Civil War. The weapon was a French-style sword, with a slightly curved, 32-inch blade.

Gothic-Hilted Infantry Sword (Nicholson)
The Gothic-Hilted Sword was an officer's sword used by the British Military for much of the 19th century in one for or another. The weapon had a very slight curve and a 32-inch blade.

119's Edge
The weapons are similar enough to be called Even

LeMat Revolver (Stonewall)
The LeMat Revolver was a 9-shot .42 or .36 caliber cap & ball black powder revolver invented by Dr. Jean Alexandre LeMat of New Orleans, which featured a rather unusual secondary 16 gauge smoothbore barrel capable of firing buckshot, and saw service with the armed forces of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War of 1861–65.

Dean and Adams Revolver (Nicholson)
The Dean and Adams Revolver was British double-action cap-and-ball revolver first produced in 1851. The weapon was standard issue for the British East-India Company, and likely Nicholson's sidearm during the Siege of Delhi.

119's Edge
While Nicholson's Dean and Adams Revolver was a double-action firearm, meaning faster firing, I give the edge to Jackson's LeMat revolver for its 9-shot cylinder and underbarrel shotgun.

Enfield 1853 Rifle (Both)
The Enfield 1853 was a British-made precussion rifled musket with an effective range of about 600 yards. The weapon was widely used by the British and both sides in the American Civil War. The weapon was a single-shot, muzzle-loading rifle, meaning it could only fire two to three rounds per minute. =X-Factors=