The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-03-01


heds, while incompetent leading troops 10
defeat captivity slaughter for that Is the way the
war opened The door 10 military service seemed 10 BE-
closed aud barred against hm and was FAR the
government concerned.
y may be wondered why this repusnanee 70 The APP
poinent Of Jackson who though net yet greatly dstn-
gaishea stl man Of mark-had been senator and
a supreme Judge, and still major general and
OF tried and heroic courage 4 tell the lie
had great many home enemies for he was man o. de-
clded temper had great many contests no compromises
always went for clean victory clean defeat though
placbie after the contest That one reason
but the sin The administration had prejudice
against him account Of Colonel Barr, with whom he
had associated in the American Senate and whom
he gave hospitabe reception in his house al the time Of
his western expedition relying upon his that has
designs against the Spanish dominion in Mexico
and against integrity of this Union These
of the moi all OF Jsckson rejection from fed
era military employment
was young them and OF his aids and believed In
his military talent and patriotism greatly attached % him.
and greyed and yexed 10 him passed by when
much Incompetence preferred. Besides was To 20
with him. and his appointment would be partly my own
vexed all his friends but did despair
as most OF them did turned from the government 10
ourselves-o resourcesAnd looked to the chap
OF accidents up chance for incidental employ
meut confident that he would do the for himself he
could only get start Lwas in this mood in my Office
young lawyer with books than briefs, when the
tardy mail OF that time, "one and gusty day in
February 1872 brought act Of Congress authorizing the
President accept organized bodies Of volunteers the
extent of fifty thousandto serve for yearsnd TO be
called into service when emergency should require
Here chance. | knew that jackson could raise
generals command and trusted for him TO be
called and felt that year than enough for
him 10 prove himself drew up planrode thirty miles 10
his house that day in Fehruaryran hail. slee
wind-and such roads then had there IN winter
deep in rich mud and mixed with ice arrived al the
Hermitage name then but little known--at nighial
and found him solitary and almost alone but not quite;
for it the evening mentioned in the Thirty Years
View, when found him with the lamb and the child be-
tween bis knees / laid the plan before him. He
struck with itadop,ed it-acted upon it. We began to
rails mi aer uipS was ppiun AN
order arrived from the War Department to the governor
willie Blount) TO deach fifteen hundred militia TO the
Lower Mississippi the object meet the British, then
pected to make attempt New Orleans The governor
friend 10 Jackson and TO his country He agreed 70
accept his three thousand volunteers instead Of the fifteen
hundred draughted militia He issued address to his di-
vision gaoped to tho muster-grounds and haraugued
the young The ample. Three regiments
eompetedConee, William Hall, Benton, the colo
nes and in December, 1872 descended the Cumber
land and the Mississippi in fleet of fatboomed boats
and landed Natch There got the that the Brit
h would not come that wintera great disappointment
and fine chance lost
We remained in camp, six miles from Natchsz, waiting
ulterior orders In March they orders for fur
Their SERVICE to return home but TO disband the
volunteers where they The command was positive
in the Of the President and by the then Secretary at
War, General Armstrong, well remember the day-Sun-
day morning the 25th day of March, 1879 The first
knew of it a message from the General To him
at his TENT for, though as colonel OF regiment had
ceased to be aid yet my place had not been filled and
was sent for much He showed the order,
and also his character in his instant determination not to
obey it but TO lead his volunteers home He had sketched
to the Secretary War; and gave IL to
to copy and arrange the matter of it. II very
tried hard to get some parts soItened but impossible
have that letter since but would know it II
should meet it in any form, anywh here, without
eoncnrred with the General in the determination TO take
home young troops He then called eouac of the
field officers he called it, though there but little Of
the council in 1.-THE only object being to hear his deter
mination and take for executing it, The officers
unanimous in their determination to support him \;
II was one OF those cases in which he would have acted
not only without, but against council"
The officers unanimous and vehement in their de-
termination, much the General himself; for
the volunteers composed Of the best young of the
countryarmers sons themselves clever young men, since
filing high Offices in the State and the federal govern
mentinrused to these officers by their fathers, In full
confidence that they would act fathers part by them
and the thought Of turning them loose the
Lower Mississippi, five hundred miles from home without
the means OF getting home and wilderness and Indian
tribes to traverse, did not find moments thought in any
ones bosom To carry them back was the instant and
indignant determination but great difficulties were in
the way The OF getting back three thousand
under such circumstances must be great and here jack
sons character showed itself again. We have all heard
Of his responsbitieshis readiness to political
responsibility when the public required it he
was equally ready TO take responsibility Of another
kindmoneyed responsibility and thai beyond the whole
extent Of his fortunel He had military chestnot dol
lar OF public money-and three thousand not to
be conducted five hundred miles through wilderness
country and Indian tribes without great outlay off
money. Wagons wanted, and many Of them, for
transport OF provisions baggage and the sick
impressed and at the end OF the service gave drafts upon
the quartermaster general of the southern department
General Wikinsons) for the amount The wagons
ten dollars day, coming and going. They hume
II service OF two months the TO be
incurred great He incurred It'll and will be
at imminent risk of his ruin. This assumption
the Generals part met the first great difficulty but there
lesser difficulties still serious to be The
troops had received pay clothes and shoes
in condition for march long and so
exposed. The officers had received pay-dd not ex
pec to need money-had made provision for the
peced contingency of large demands upon their peck
to enable them to do justice to their But there
patriotism outside OF the camp well within. The
merchants Of Nachez put their disposition
take what needed-pay when convenient Nashville
will name among these patriotic merchants--nan
him because be belongs 10 class struck at and be-
cause do not ignore friend when he is struck Wash
ngton jackson the one meanirish by birth Amer
lean by choice by law, and feeling and conduct took
hundred pairs shoes from him for my regiment and
other articles and proclaim it here patriotic Of
recognise their nertto them with honor in high
paccsand to give them the right hand of friendship
when they struck at
We all returnedwere acknowledgement among our
homes, and the fine chance which had so much
counted was all gone And now blow upon jackson
himse-the fruit Of the moneyed responsibility which he
had assumed His transportation drafts All protest.
ed-reurned upon him for payment which was irnpos-
sibeand directions 10 bring suit This the month Of
May | coming to Washington my own ae-
count and cordially took charge Of Jaeksons case Suits
delayed until the result of bis application for relief
could be heard. | arrived this city Congress was in
scsonthe extra session Of the spring and Of
applied the members Of Congress from Tennessee they
ed tn The If Mar t.i