The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1847-02-18

of Gen. Jackson, strongly evincing the same
trait in that stern, valiant and PROFESSIONALLY
sagacious commander, 10 whose memory the
circumstance does such honor that we are
happy TO be able TO presen, il to the public,
on the high authority of the person TO whom
Jackson made the statement:
Our informant arrived at New Orleans on.
the 4ih of Feb. 1915, (about four weeks at
Ter the Growing victory over the British,)
and being an intimate personal friend ofJack-
son, proceeded 10 the Generals headquarters
and passed nearly The whole night in con
versalion with bin, mainly upon the incidents
of the recent great battle. After narrating
many of the circumstances of the conflict,
Gen. Jackson said-'I suppose you have
wondered why permitted the British army
10 retire from the field and make good their
retreat, without attempting TO hinder or mo-
lest them, after they had been so thoroughly
crippled in their attack upon our lines His
friend replied-sNo. General, did not; be
cause knew tina. you would moi have taken
that course without good reasons YES
said Jackson, Il had good reasons for my con
duct. knew that my brave volunteers were
inyncible, in their patriotism, and that be-
hind those breast works, they could defend
themselves against The best troops in The
world. But knew that in the open field
that their want Of military experience and
discipline would expose them 10 terrible loss
from the well drilled veterans of the British
army, still capable of opposing sever com
plete battalions TO me. 1t is true, lcould have
routed them and cut off their retreat, and
destroyed and captured their whole force,
but il would have been al The sacrifice of hun
dreds of my best volunteers unneces-
sary sacrifice, because my success was COM
plete without ii. had done all that was TO
be desired. And then--io think of throwing
away the lives OF my brave vountees'--said
the old General, Indignant at the idea of
such wanon sacrl6ce--'my brave Ten.
nessee volunteers, many of whom, mere boys
of Is and 20, were brought TO me al Nash
vile, from the country, by their parents, in
some instances by their widowed mothers,
who said 10 me, "Here, General, is our only
son"-or, as sometimes, when one parent
brought or boys TO me, "Here are our
sousi Take them, and make them fight for
their countryi Make good soldiers of them !
But don't expose them unnecessarily Take
good care of them, General!' Why coniin-
ued Jackson, Shy the -, | wouldn't give
The lives OF twenty of my brave Tennessee
volunteers for the whole British arrnyp
A powerful expression OF thai generous hui
manly which so well becomes true courage,
and Of just appreciation Of the value Of The
life Of an American citizen. And, much as
we regret TO repeat, the characteristic. pro-
family which accompanied it, we are remind
ed by lis associations, of that oath of which
Sterne says, .sThe ascending spirit who flew
up TO Heavens chancery with il blushed as
he gave it in; and then the recording angel
as he wrote il down, dropped a tear upon
The word and blotted il out FOREVER" -
We rejoice 10 know that Taylor, with all
OF Jackson's successful courage, has in no
particular less than Jackson's humane horror
of the waste of his gallant soldiers lives, tol
the empty glory of the extermiaation of a
conquered and reirealing foe."