Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-02-16

.cognized. The ice has turned to fire, the
ranquil bearing to desouring excitement;
nd ne leads the onslaught with the fury
T a tiger, rushing on his prey. i
Wo to the enemy who has TO deal with
Stonewail at such moments :
hey are rs stubole brfore the fire. The
red right arm" is CARRYING outthe deep =
chena@ Of the powerful brain, aud the pos
ability of a failure never suems to cross
his mind. All energies of soul and sense
IRE combined aild concentrated in the stub
and unfaltering struggle the flag
the Republic must be borne alott IL
triumph tho the dearest and most precious
eff the Southern land be poured forth
axe water. He dives not spare his own
Where the great cause takes his men, he
The huublest private risks no
danger which is not shared by h's Com
u,ander. 10 him the cause Is all, worm
many NOZZLE lives, and he is ready to lay
down his own.
To follow General S%tonewall at suca
moments Is . thing to tell 10 chlldrena
children and the flush of remembered
triumph will o~ver>prcad the bronzed cheek
of the veteran 2ho tells the story. 1t was
then The bsyonet charge was made, and
the foe, however obstinate, scattered TO
the winds. For when General Jacksons
charges with the bayone;, the hour has
Itruck, the struggle is deci led. The field
nav be strewn with the flower and pride
If the South, but the red cross flag is
coating sill.
"Ah maiden ! wait and watch and yearn
For ut Ws OF Stonewalls band
All, widow! read, with eyes that burn
That ring upon thy hand!
All wife sew ON. pray on, nope on,
Thy life shall not be all forlorn-
z The foe had better meier been born,
Than get i'll Stonenalls wayf',
n these lines, tuuu! they say 4" on the
boy of a sergeant Of the Old Stonewall
Brgade, at Winchester" speaks the spirit
which animates Jackson's men: especially
thai "OId Stouewall Brigade" which,
like the tenth Legion" Of Caesar, and
the "Old Guard" of Napoleon, has made
its name famous In all tide of time.
Tbe Old StonewaU Brigade! What
a host of thoughts, memories and emo
tion1s do these words excite! How like a
call to the charge sounds the simple mems
tionsof the famous baud These veterans
have fought and bled and conquered oa
so many b~attle-felds, that memory grows
weary almost Of recalling their giories.-
Gathering around Jackson In the old days
of Patterson in the Valley, when Stuart
had but a handful Of cavalry to watch the
5 whole border, and Ashby, our dead hero,
? was a simple captain-they held in check
an enemy twenty times their number, and
$ were moulded by the hand of their great
loader into hat stern phalanx which nc
8 bayonet could break, and no odds intimi-
5 date. They were boys and old men, the
: handles. OF the SONS of toll, and the fowe,
l of the land-but united, trained and look,
ing with supreme confidence to their Com
mander.
And then commenced their long caree,
! of glory-their wonderful marches ov e
thousands of miles-their incessant com
e bats against odds that seemed %overpower-
$ ing-their contempt OF snow and rain, ant
cold and hunger, aud want of rest. Tn
= soul of their leader seemed TO nave enter
e ed into every Lreast-and "Stonewall
Band" became the terror of the enemy
To meet that enemy, was to conquer him
: it might almost be said, so obstinatcly die
d the eagles of victory continue to percl
r upon the old battle-fag. The laws of tn,
d human body seemed to have been reversed
: for these men. They marched, and fought
10 aud triumphed, like war machines wlic.
d felt no need Of rest, or food, or sleep.
Sc Ia one day they marched from Harper
lie Ferry to Strasburg, nearly fifty miles. O
. the advance to Romney they walked
IN many without shoes-over roads so sIiI
e, perry with ice that MGR were falling al
re their guns going off all along the column
D, and at night lay down, without blanket
ed ON the snow, with no camp fires and Il
as food.
az At the first great battle of Manassas tht
he were nearly starved, but fought with de-
us peration. At the last battles there | 81
a them by the roadside, where they h.
ng halted, and one of my friends. a bra
en- Young officer of the command, thanked II
j, for a biscuit.
nd The very rapidity of their morches Sc
ng arates them from all soldier comforts.
lad often from their very blankets, howev
cold the weather; and any other troo
aw but these and thei Southern conrad
ely woulu long since have mutinied and d
ere manded bread and rest. But the shad'
OF of disafection never fitted over forehe
nee in that command. Whatever discont,
18th may be felt at times at the want Of ate
ne tsou on the part of subordinate officers
their necessities, the "long roll
only IN no hoatan-thev have only RI