Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1863-05-19
THE PART PERFORMED BY GEN'L
JACKSON

| of McCauley to do justice to the part perform
ed by Gen'l Thos. j. Jackson during the tw,
years which elapsed from the time he took com
The Richmond Examiner has given sketch EN-
bracing this period which we introduce by thi
brief preface ::
| In the early period of the war, Jackson, com
lmissioned Colonel by the Governor of Virginia
was attached to General Johnston's command OF
/ the Upper Potomac. At Falling Waters, on the
I'd of July, 1861, he engaged the advance o
Patterson, and gave the Yankees one of the first
exempliications of his ready-witted strategy
as Patterson never knAW, that for several hours
he was fighting an insg ghfcant force, skillfully
disposed to hide their weakness, while Johnston
| was max ing his dispositions in the rear.
The first conspicuous services of Jackson in
| this war were rendered at Manassas in 1861; al
| though the marks of active determination he ha6
| shown On the Upper Potomac, and the affair Of
Falling aters, had already secured for him pro
motion to Brigadier Generalship. The writer
| recollects some paragraphs IN Southern news
paper expressing great merriment at the first ap
partition of the future hero On the battle field
| His queer figure on horseback, and the habit Of
settling his chin in his stock, were very amusing
| to some correspondents, who made hippant jes
| in some of the Southern newspapers of the mil
| itary specimen of the Old Dominion. This jest
| is forgiven and forgotten in the tributes of ad
miration and love which were to ensue to the
popular hero of the war. Jackson spoke his frs
immortal words at Manassas, when he stayed the
retreat of our forces just as it verged on ire
trievable disaster. .9They are beating us back
said another General. ssNo, sir,'' replied Jack
son, as his eyes blazed with victorious courage
ssWe'll give them the bayonet.''
One of the most remarkable expeditions and
marches of Jackson was in the depth of the win
of 10 wha la from Genera
Johnston's lines to Winchester.
On the first of January, 1862, he marched witt
his command from Winchester to Bath, in Nor
gan county, and from the latter place to Romney
where there had been a large Federal force for
many weeks, and from which point they had
committed extensive depredations on the sur
rounding country. General Jackson drove the
enemy from Romney and the neighboring coun-
try without much fighting. His troops, hoWeV-
er, endured the severest haraships in the expe-
dition. Their sufferings were terrible IN what
was the severest portion of the winter. They
were compelled at one time to struggle through
eli almost binding storm of SNOW and sleet, and
to bivouac at night in the forests without tents
or camp equipage. Many of the troops were fro
re on the march, ard died from exposure and
exhaustion.
In this terrible expedition Jackson gave the
most remarkable proofs of his grim energy in
the field and the iron mould in which he was cast.
His men were becoming acquainted with the hab=
its of their commander. He appeared to be a
man of almost superhuman endurance. Neither
heat nor cold made the slightest impression. upon
him. Good quarters and dainty fare were as
nothing to him. He lived as his soldiers lived
and endured all the fatigue and all the suffering
that they endured. He partook of but few So
cial enjoyments. Never absent single day from
duly, he did everything with the quiet, stern
energy of an iron will:
GA frame of adamant, a soul of fire,
No dangers fright him al / no laborS tire;
Ger love, DER fear. extends his wide domain,
Uuconquered lord of pleasure and of pain.
No joys to him pacific sceptres yield;
War sounds the trump, he rushes to the field
Without doubt, the most brilliant and eXtraor-
dinary passage in the military life of General
Jackson was the ever famous campaign of the
summer of 1862 in the Valley Of Virginia. That
campaign in which in the short space of one
month, he drove back into the enemy's territory
-FOUR Generals, with large captures in prisoners
and stores, made the most brilliant part of his
reputation. In few weeks the name of Jackson
mounted to the zenith of fame. In dramatic ef-
fects, in rapid incidents and in swift and sudden
renown, his name challenged comparison with
the most extraordinary phenomena in the annals
of military genius.
In the spring Of 1862, General jackson had
been placed in command of the small army OF
observation which held the upper valley of the
Shenandoah and the country about Stanton. IL
was intended that ne should remain quasi mac
tive, to watch the enemy and wait for him but
he soon commenced manGuvering on his own
responsibility, and ventured upon scale OF ope-
raEions that threw the higher military authorities
at Richmond into fever of anxiety and alarm.
In less than thirty days he dashed at Fremont's S
dvance, west of StauntOn, and driving 1t back
wheeled his army, swept down the Valley, and
drove Banks across the Potomac. Returning to
the upper Valley, he manGuyered around TOR
/ fhraa in tha Fremont
heavy blow at Gross Keys and defeating Shields
in the Luray Valiey,-and then suddenly swept
down the Virginia Central railroad, via Gordons-
vile ON McClellan's right, before Richmond
The part he played in winding up the campaign
on the Peninsula is we'll known.
Since the battles of the Chickahominy the
military services of General Jackson are compar-
ativey fresh in the recollectlons of the public
1t is proper, however, to notice the distinct pars
which he took in the summer campaign against
Pope as we do not believe that justice has been
done to Jackson's contribution to the Second
Battle of Manassas.
At the outset of this campaign, it was probably
the design of General Lee, with the bulk of the
Confederate army, to take the front, left and
right and engage General Pope at or near the
Rapidan while Jackson and Ewell were to cross
the Shenandoah river and mountains, cut OH ms
supplies by way of the railroad, and menace MS
rear It will at once be noticed that this aCVen
Iuro on the parb Oh JaChSOu WAS uiHlOui0 onu V0o
perate it took the risk of any new movements
of Pope, by which he (Jacksone himself might
be cut off. 1t obvious, indeed, that II Pope
could reach GordOnsville, he would cut OH Jack-
sons supplies. and this risk had to be taken by
the intrepid commander.
Cedar Mountain was fonght and won from Pope
before he knew the campaign was opened. jack
son fell back, but only to flank him on the right
Pope retired from the Rapidan to the Rappahan-
mock but Jackson swung still further round 10
the North and out fianked him again. Yet again
he gave up the Rappahannock and fell back south
of Warrenton, and fer the third time, jackson
outfan8ed him through Thoroughfare Gap, ana
| at last got in his rear. Pope now had TO
| fight and the victory which perched upon our
banners was the most brilliant Of the war.
i The participation Of Jackson in the campaign
Cf Maryland, aud that ofthe kappahannock, snar
eo their glory, but without occasion ;or ooser-
walton 90 those distinct and independent move
me1yts which wore his forte, and for the oIsPiay
of wIaich he had room in the Valley campaign
and that against Pope The manner OF his death,
on the field of Chancellorsyile, has already been
related He bore his wounds ana the pains oi
his diseaase without murmur, and among th0
las. intelligent words of the noble sufferer, were
the recognition of the hand of God IN his desth3
and the remark that even his wounds were d oies
sing he would not part with, since Proyldence
must have given them for some wise ana goou
purpose.
Finally his mind wandered back in the dellrium
of approaching dissolution to the scenes Oh the
hattie He gayta again the word OF command, Ut
tered words of encouragement to regiments Stag-
pering under fire. ordered his commlssary TO mas
ten on with needfuI food to exhausted troops
Almost the last sentsnce was the order he had SO
=