The Placer herald., 1862-08-09
"StoneWall" Jackson.
Correspondence dated Martinsburg, Virgini
June 18th, in the n. Y. Tribune SAYS:


June 18th, in the N. Y. Tribune. says:
Don't believe that Stonewall Jackson is either
Killed or captured; for if he were indeed dead, it
would surely not be known for months to come;
/ and II he were q prisoner, it would be known al
ready beyond a peradventure. The fact is, the
| man is alive to his own value, and is personally
! prudent. His courage is of the cool and wary
/ sort, by no means parttkng of Ashby's defiant
etfrontlry; and for body guard he has his hole
army. (by this time 40 600 strongD to each and
every man OF whom he is an object of peculiar
and passionate pride. For my own part, am
incredulous OF these newspaper and street-corner
corpses and captures, which are always falling to
US just in the nick OF time, rs If every arch rebel
OF them, the moment he became famous was
smtten with an irresistible impulse to die for our
comfort, or be "baggel' iov our convenience l
am even fixed in the conviction that, at This
present writing. Turner Ashby is no more dead
than John Brown, and we all know that his soul is
a amarching on But let us kill "Old Stonewall,n
nevertheless. for the sake Of writing bis obituary
| and pretending to know all about him. In TAX
ing my turn, then, at his seasonlble dissection,
warn you that got my facts from the friends
OF the suj ject, aud il my demonstration in any
respect resembles those Of our "well-nformed
contemporaries" North or South, content yourself
with wondering at The coincidence, or admiring
their ingenuity.
Thomas Jefferson Jackson WAS born in Lewis
county Virginia, 1925. He is, therefore, lust
: -
argument against me. His family, though by no
means wealthy, was one OF extensive and inluen-
tia ramiicatlons. Socially and politically their
status has always been high even in arislocratic
Virginia, and it was this advantage, perhaps.
which saved our hero from Neglect when he was
turned upon the world avery poor young orphan;
! for it was by family influence exerted in behalf
! of his intellectual and moral promise, that be
WAS mtde n West Point Cadet nt the age OF L..
1t WAS his own cousin. Judge Jackson, of the y.
cI, I.,,,1 i,t inn l,rt
month on the approach Of the scamp. Thomas
Jefferson. recently pefrifed into "Stonewall."
| His pertinacity ia procuring his cadetshp shows
| the man. Being then resident OF Cl,rkshurg, in
Western Virginia. he walked from that place to
Washington, bearing with him letters OF recon-
mendation to the Congressional Representatives
oi his District urging the claims OF jackson to
II cadetship at West Point Academy. After some
delay At the Capital. his application was success
ful, and with his commission in his pocket, he
travelled on foot AL the way from the Capital to
West Point. there to receive the rudimenis Of the
science OF St0newal.
He was graduated with high honors in the same
class with Mcclellan Just as the Mexican war
broke out Immediately entered service with Gen.
Scott as u brcvc Lieutenant, and was made full
Lieutenant for gallant conduct in the memorable
campaign from Vera Cruz TO Mexico. For the
same sulicing reason he received 4 Captains
shoulder straps ut Cerro Gorlo and WAS brevet-
ted Major ut Chapultepec 'ior distinguished ser
vices Oh his return home with impaired health
after the war he resigned his commission and
was elected Professor OF National and Expert
mental Philosophy in the Military Institute of
Virginia.
In connection with his Mexican war career by
the by. recall An anecdote characteristic Of the
man. which first heard in Winchester. but which
find we'll reproduced in the Philadelphia In
quirer OF IL late d,te:
During the battle Of Chaputcpec, where he
Of M,oruI,4rs ipyv a.
tached to Pillows Division, Jackson was ordered
by that pitul commander to Uithdrdio has sec
tion. rs. according to Pillows craven idea. it WAS
too much exposed. Giving no heed whatever To
the Generals order. he rapidly limbered up and
moved his section a hundred ydrds nearer the
enemys works. where he did great execution"
From the tranquility of his professorship he
was called by Gov. Letcher, when this internal
rebellion broke ont, to the head of a regiment,
and was assigned the command at tlarrer's Ferry
''by the unanimous recommendation OF the Coun'
Gil aud the unanimous confirmation Of the Con-
vention."
Jackson, who had superseded several Virginia
Militia Generals there WAS in turn superseded
by Gen Joe Johnson He was then made II Brga
der by jeff. Davis and it was at the battle of
Manassas, in command Of the "Stonewall Brig
ade" $50 called because recruited from stone
wall country,) that he acquired his now famous
sobrquet.
at Winchester ii not vcraci0us enough for history
will ut least not fatigue you it has not been re-
produced in this section, | believe: LIN March"
they say, "Winchester was again threatened by
such overwhelming forces under Gen. Banks
! that every arrangement was mIde for an cvncua
| ton. The Government stores and hospitals were
| removed; the various clothing aud cooking socc-
| ties were disbanded, and nothing left pertaining
| to an army, but the men composing it. Jacksons
whole force, including cavalry aud militia. did
| not amount to 900 men; nevertheless he twice
offered battle to the Union troops, on the 7th and
Ilth of March. On the night of the lth he
withdrew without an engagement, and on the
morning of the 18th the enemy marched into
| Winchester, squadron OF Ashbys Cavalry slow
ly retiring about square in advance of
| them According to Gen. Shields acc cunt. there
| was a Union force of $4,000 in the town at
| the time OF the battle fought on the 23d March.
Jackson with only $500 men returned to Win
chester from Newm iket, and fought the battle
! Of Kearnstown - Union loss not less than 2 000
| Confederate loss 4l5" Barring the imaginative
| element in this account is not without interest.
Stonewall Jackson is everywhere described as
| "sow min" intellectually, even dull. Some
say he was Il tedious proes or, and all agree that
| he has a dull look And yet if you ask them
what they mean by that. they will say they do
not know ''alI they do know is that he is us OBJ
stinate as Il mule. and plucky rs bull dog
| which means just nothing OF Il man whose prime
Quality is CELEBRITY quick conclusions, and start
ling execution; who. as Il soldier, is rs rapid us
he is wary. abOunding in surprises. brave almost
to rashness and inventive almost to romance.
| As for his outer man. he looks at least seven
wears older than he really ishs hi ght is about
feet 0 inches; his figure thick set square shout
dere; aud decidedly clumsy; his gait very awk
ward STOPPING, and with long strides lie often
walks with his head somewhat one side, and
his eyes fixed upon the ground, imparting to his
whole appearance that abstracted quality which
Young ladies' describe ''ab'ent minded" A
lady who has known him long and we'll that she
never saw him on horseback without laughing
short stirups. krees cr,mped up, heels stuck out
behind, and chin on his bre ist-a most nnmitary
phenomenon In society he is quiet. but chceriul;
| L..4; lLiLn4., .Alal IL 4A.Il. IN