The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1862-10-31
Yankee Notions About the Geners
alship of Stonewall Jackson.


alship of Stonewall Jackson.
The following review Of Confederate
strategy in general, and Of that of Stone
wall Jackson in particular, taken from
the Washington correspondence OF the
st. Louis Republican, cannot fail to inter-
est our readers:
The country must by this time fully re.
alise the situation in this quarter, and
the knowledge of the radical changes
which have so suddenly taken place cam
not but administer heavy shock TO the
public pulse. A little more than two
short months ago we were besieging the
capital OF the rebels with our best army,
under our best Generals; now the enemy
have again invested Washington.
On the Goth Of, June, jackson turned
McClellans right and forced him back
from the suburbs of Richmond, in seven
days of bloody battles; on the Goth of
August he turned Pope's right, and in
five days fighting hurls him on the forti-
fications Of Washington. Thus, in two
short months, the tide Of battle has rolled
backward one hundred and sixty miles,
and the position of the combatants COM
pletely reversed. :.
Tie operations Of "Stonewall jackson"
for lie does the fight:ng-has no paral-
ell in modern history. 1t will be remem-
bered he occupied the position of "Pro-
fessor" in the Virginia Military Institute
for years before the war commenced,
where he taught the young F. F. VS. the
science of war, and fitted them for the
command of their leeions now in the
field. There he was evidently the fright
man in the right place." When the war
began he was commissioned Brigadier
General of Volunteers, and had command
of a brigade in the battle of Bull Run,
July 2lst. 1861, where he distinguished
himself by his unfinching valor and cool
control of his forces In that engagement,
Gen. Bees South Carolina troops wavefed,
when he rallied them by exclaiming--
"Look ut Jackson's men; they stand
like stonewall!' And Beauregard nf-
forwards using the same expression, IN
describing their conduct in his official re-
mort. Jackson was dubbed his present
title from that time. During the fall and
winter following lie was placed in COM
mand of the small "army of observation,
which held the upper valley Of the Shen-
andoah" and the country round about
Staunton. 1t was intended that he should
remain quasi inactive, to watch the enc
my and to wait for him; but he soon COM
menced maneuvering on his own respon-
sibility, and began revealing evidences
of the stuff that makes good Generals
The high military authority at Richmond
discovered early in the spring that he
was disposed towards such extensive ope-
rations with his small command that he
S might get himself into trouble-in fact
: astonished- at the boldness he displayed
f they began to draw the official reign on
him; but jackson crustily replied-"Send
!, me more men and less orders, or more
orders and less men," From that day
they trusted him. He pitched on Shields
at Winchester. but failed, only because
Banks's corps had advanced as far south
at the time as he supposed, and return
ing, reinforced Shields at the end of the
first days fight. During the night he
drew off and retreated up the valley.
In less than thirty days he dashed at
Fremont's advance, west of Staunton,
and driving it back, wheeled his army,
swept down the valley and drove Banks
across the Potomac. Returning to the
upper valley, he maneuvered around for
three weeks-in the meantime dealing
Fremont a heavy blow at Cross Keys and
thrashlng Shields in the Luray valley
and, then suddenly swept down the Vir-
ginia Central Railroad, via Gordonsville,
on McClellan's right, before Richmond
The part he played in winding up our
campaign on the Peninsula is well known.
Almost before the smoke had lifted from
the bloody field of the Chickahominy, we
J hear of him again on his old stamping
ground above Gordonsville. Cedar Noun
tain was fought and won from Pope be-
fore he knsD lis campaign Uas opened Jack
son fell back, but only to flank him on
the right. Pope retired from the Rapi-
, dan to the Rappahannock, but jackson
swung still further round to the North
and outAanked him again. Yet again he
e gave up the Rappahannoclk and fell bach;
+ south of Warrenton, and, for the third
g time, jackson outfianked him through
:, Thoroughfare Gap, and at last got in hi:
rear. Pope now had to fight, and he die
fight well; but victory perched upon
Jackson's banner, and our armies rest on
: the Potomac.