Demo

First Name
Last Name
Age
Total
Discount
Date
Peter Parker 28 $9.99 20% Jul 6, 2006 8:14 AM
John Hood 33 $19.99 25% Dec 10, 2002 5:14 AM
Clark Kent 18 $15.89 44% Jan 12, 2003 11:14 AM
Bruce Almighty 45 $153.19 44% Jan 18, 2001 9:12 AM
Bruce Evans 22 $13.19 11% Jan 18, 2007 9:12 AM
Sort first and third columns | Toggle sort on the "Discount" column (v2.9)

Javascript

$(function() {

  $("table").tablesorter({ theme: 'blue' });

  // ****************************************
  // sort the "First Name" and "Age" columns
  // ****************************************
  $("#trigger-link").click(function() {
    // set sorting column and direction, this will sort on the
    // first and third column the column index starts at zero
    var sorting = [[0,0],[2,0]];
    // sort on the first column and third columns
    $("table").trigger("sorton",[sorting]);
    // return false to stop default link action
    return false;
  });

  // ****************************************
  // toggle the sort on the 5th column
  // (Discount) - New in v2.9!
  // ****************************************
  $("#toggle-link").click(function() {
    $("table thead").find("th:eq(4)").trigger("sort");
    return false;
  });

});

HTML

<table class="tablesorter">
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>First Name</th>
      <th>Last Name</th>
      <th>Age</th>
      <th>Total</th>
      <th>Discount</th>
      <th>Date</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Peter</td>
      <td>Parker</td>
      <td>28</td>
      <td>$9.99</td>
      <td>20%</td>
      <td>Jul 6, 2006 8:14 AM</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>John</td>
      <td>Hood</td>
      <td>33</td>
      <td>$19.99</td>
      <td>25%</td>
      <td>Dec 10, 2002 5:14 AM</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Clark</td>
      <td>Kent</td>
      <td>18</td>
      <td>$15.89</td>
      <td>44%</td>
      <td>Jan 12, 2003 11:14 AM</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Bruce</td>
      <td>Almighty</td>
      <td>45</td>
      <td>$153.19</td>
      <td>44%</td>
      <td>Jan 18, 2001 9:12 AM</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Bruce</td>
      <td>Evans</td>
      <td>22</td>
      <td>$13.19</td>
      <td>11%</td>
      <td>Jan 18, 2007 9:12 AM</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

<a href="#" id="trigger-link">Sort first and third columns</a> | 
<a href="#" id="toggle-link">Toggle sort on the "Discount" column</a> (v2.9)
Next up: Force a default sorting order ››