Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-07-03
Iron the London Index, june Al
ZEN. 7. j. JACKSON.

At this time everything relating to the life
and character of the lamented Patriot Soldier,
General I. j. jackson, is interesting to the
British public; and we take pleasure in lay
ing before our readers the following communi-
cation from the Rev. NJ. D. Iloge D.. d., one
of the pastors of Richmond, Virginia, and
chaplain in one of the camps in the vicinity
of that city:
70 Tie Editor of the Iadsr:
Sir:-During my temporary absence from
my native land, and engaged, rs am, in 4
| passion which has for its object the supply "i
our army with Bibles and religious books, like
others Of my countrymen here, have hccn
| filled with grief at the death OF One who, Us
| have reason to know. regarded my errand to
| England with deep and abiding interest, and
for whom | cherished the protoundcst respect
and affection
readily comply with your request to give
ynl some impressions OF his character and
worth. derived, in part, from personal ac-
quaintance with him. | feel it TO be priv
lese to add, if possible, Il single leaf to the
wreath which So many grateful hands are now
weaving for the urn, beside which a nation
wecps.
Since the commencement Of this cruel war.
| Virginia, in common with her sister States OF
| the ConiCderacy, has often had occasion to la
ment the fall of the noble and the good; but
| in no former instance has she sustained II loss
| which so many mourn as if 1t were n personal
bereavement, lis well as IL public calamity
| While General Jackson commanded the high
est respect by those qualities which ennobled
| him as Il man. and excited admiration which
! readily kindled into enthusiasm by his sue
cessful hcroism as soldier, he had also the
| happy faculty of attracting the kinder regards
of those who knew him, and of exciting IN the
popular mind and heart emotions OF commln-
| glel reverence and love. .,.,.s..t
There was something 1.-The brillianc5Sof
his exploits which dazzled TIE imaginatlo9sAn
the suddcnness and uneXpectedness OF AIS
military movements which kept alive tlg pub
lie curiosity, so that it happened that lle was,
more frequently than any other officer In the
service, the subject Of conversation among
the soldiers, and among the people at large
On the march, in the bivOuac, around camp
fires, in family circles, i'll all places of popular
resort. he was the favorite theme of discourse.
The people were ever eager to know where he
was. what he was doing, what he intended to
do: and all information respecting his acts, his
plans and probable purposes, was received
with an avidity which showed how deep was
the interest folt in everything with which he
had any connecticut Nor was his name Il
household word in Virginia, and in the Con-
feleracy alone. No name has been more
widely honored abroad; and the spontaneous
and touching tributes to his memory now daily
appearing in British and continental journals.
give expressive testimony to the estimate in
which he was held wherever courage, and pa
trioti SIN and OiptV are rcVprpi thrOurhOut
the world.
1t may be interesting tn dwell for moment
on the characteristic qualities which secured
to General Jackson this universal homage.
As before the war he was comparatively
little known, it was his military reputation, Of
course, which at first arrested the attention Of
The country But this does not account for
the peculiar estimation i'll which he was held
Other commanders have been as skillful aud
Us Fortunate who have failed to elicit the kind
of admiration he excited. 1t was not to his
achievements in the field alone that we must
ascribc the peculiar reputation he obtained,
but to certain moral excelencies, most happily
blended which gave to his character that sym
metrical development which has so rarely been
among these l would specify his singlc-cycd
devotion TO duty, unaccompanicd by any self
ish aims. No man was ever moro devoid of
not what will men think or say, but what's right.
the misrepresentation that might temporarily
result from measures which others did not
comprehend, because the time had not come
for making known the reasons that led to their
adoption: EIc was willing to wait for the