Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-06-03
Henry Ward Beecher's Opinion Of StoneWai
Jackson. -.

Henry Ward Beecher's Opinion Of St0neWail
Jackson. =
Under the heading, " The death OF 1ecsson,
the last number of tho New York IndePeDdAn< con.
"A brave and honest foe has fallsnl Thomas |
Jefferson jackson has died of wounds received in
the confusion of the battle Of Charlottesville at the
hands of his own men! There is not left another
man in the South to take his place. and Richmond
papers scarcely exaggerae when they say that the
Confederacy could better have lost fifty thousand
men Good in counsel, his peculiar excellence was
in the field. We know Of no man on either side
that surpassed him, if any equaed, in handling an
army.
We are in some respects better judges Of his mil
itary talents than Southern men, since we fetthe
blows which they only dealt 1t is certain that
no other man has impressed the imagination OF our
soldiers and the whole community so much as he
An unknown name at the beginning of the war,
save to his brother officers and to his classes in the
military school at Lexington Virginia his footsteps
drawn them. But in two years he has made his
name familiar in every civilized land on the globe
rs General of rare skill, resources and energy.
No other General of the South could develop so
much power out the slender and precarious means
by the fervd inspirations OF his own mind, Is Jack.
son. He had absolute control Of his men, seeming
almost to fascinate them. He drove the enemy
through marches long and difficult without re-
sources, feeding them best he could; he deliver
ed battles as thunder cloud discharges bolts, and,
if the fortunes were against him, then, with even
more remarkable skill than in advancing, he held
his men together in retreat and with extraordinary
address and courage, eluded pursuit. sometimes
fighting sometimes fleeing till he brought off his
forces safely. Then, almost before the dust was
laid upon the war path, his face was again towards
his enemies, and he was ready for renewed conflict
His whole soul was in his work. He had no doubts
nor parleyings within himself He put the whole
force Of his being into his blows for the worst cause
man ever fought for, as few Of our generals have
pet ever sounded Henceforth We know him no
more after the flesh. He is no longer foe. We
think of him now as q noble minded gentleman,
rare and eminent Christian For years be has been
an active member of the Presbyterian Church, Of
which he was ruling elder. He never, in all the
occupations Of the camp, or temptations of CAM
paigns, lost the fervor Of his piety or rstted his
Christian duties.
We know that before every important move he
spent much time in prayer. He had 50 put his soul
in the keeping OF his Maste: that he WAS relieved
from all thought Of SELF and had the whole power
Of his life ready Tor his work, Officers Of Fremonts
army who pursued him in his famous retreat from
the Shenandoah Valley, found him to be greatly be-
loved by the common people, among whom 10 form
er times, he had labofed in prayer meetings in tenn
{ perance meetings, and in every Christian word and
{ work. No wonder he fought we'll along region
! whose topography he had mapped down with pray
:. ers, exhortations and Christian labor.
!: He was unselfish. He fought neither for repu.
/; taton now, nor for future personal advancement
He therefore did not fall into the ruinous habits OF
our Generals who are always neglecting to do the
things that can oe DONE because they small, but
:! sqnander. time and men and patience in getting
ready for great battles which elude them or defeat
! them. He necessarily struck on the right and on
the left and kept alive the fire in the hearts of the
ili-clad poorlyfed and overworked men by the ex.
| c:ement of enterprise and the constant relish Of
victories, small in detail, but whose was all.
important.
Let no man suppose that the North will triumph
over fallen foe with insulting gratulations No
where else will the name of Jacksonbe more hon.
ored Not for the adhesion to the cause of slavery
but for his untarnishcd personal character for hi,
devout piety, and for his military genius"