The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1865-08-31
StenewaIl Jacksonville Pecu-
sEarities of his Genius.

~ "
iarities Of his Genius.
A late correspondent of the New Worl0
has furnished the readers of that journa
with some graphic remarks upon the &c
MUS, in strategy and military resources
of Stoncwall Jackson. We make a fe,,
Interesting extracts:
HIS CLOSE CALCULATION.
d Jacksotl's military movements were al.
ways based upon close calculation, and lie
was certainly not wanting in foresight
and caution. He seems to have known
perfectly well what it was in Ais power to
achieve, and as thoroughly what was be-
yond his strength. He risled much, up
on many occasions, but appears to have
been justified in his calculations of the uI-
timate result.
1T will be objected to him by. military
men, thatshc hazsrdcd too much, at times,
and was only cxtricatcd by good fortune.
There appears to be some justice in this; !;
but the resources of his genius wcrc cnor
nous ard doubled his numbers. Some Of
his.ideas seem absurd when coolly BOXED
at. When asked what he would li:,ec
done if, after the battle of Winchester,
the convorging colunsss of the enemy had
cut him off at .Strasbnrg, he replied:
81 would have fallen back upon Mary
land for reinforccments." Snch a move
mentmust, it would appear, haze tcrmina-
ted in:his destruction; butt would be ,lifi-
cult to find q manin his old-comm. md who
would haxe doubted his ultimate triumph
even then.
His genius was for great movements
and decisive blows; and, thus his services
became more and more valuable rs his
rank increased lie was better rs Briga-
.dicr than as Colonel better stiH as Ma
jar-General; and as Licutenant-tencr;,l
was best Of ALL 1t is useless to ask What
he would have been as COMMANDMENTS
Chief without superior at Richmond.
but the brain which conceived and cxccu-
ted the campaign of the valley, must
have been equal 70 any position.
HIS LINE ALWAYS OPEN TO RETREAT.
lie KEEP. open, generally, his line ofre-
treat, and provided for disasters though
it was hard to realize that failure ever en-
tered into his calculations. He had the SOL
eier'seye for position, and chose his ground
both for infantry and artillery with she
sxactness of genius; but fall his.arrangc-
rDcnts were made, and his plans required
battle, he would givc.it on any ground.
lie depended most upon his infantry, bat
loved artillery from his early association
with that branch of the service, nevcrap-
peariag so well pleased as when directing
in person the fire Of his cannon, amid Il
shower of shot and shell. When once en-
gagged, he seemed to discard all ideas of
defeat, and to regard the issue as assured.
And, what was more important, his men
seemed to share his conviction. 4 man
less open to the conviction that he was
whipped, could not be imagined. His in
.domitable combativencss, it might have
been said, mado him set his teeth against
fate, and endcavor to place his heel upon
destiny itself.
HE NEVER TRUSTED TO LUCK.
It.may be said Of him with truth, that
he deserved victory. No man was more
in the use of every prccaution to insure
success The idea thathc blundcrcd on
withoutprudcnco or system, and achieved
Sis.success only by some mysterious good
fortune. is mere fancy. No soldier was
ever less indebted to ''luck;' no one ever
7;rocsedcd in military matters upon pro-
founder logic. He kncwhis strength ana
his weakness, but the difference between
him and others was this, that he made his
estimates more correctly. He did not
Took to numbers only, but to morale, the
situation, the spirit of his troops. With
the three hundred of Leonidas he would
have attempted great things; with the
fifty thousand survivors of Napoleon's
Grand Army, crushed in morally Water
loo. he would have attempted nothing.
HOW HE CONDUCTED A MARCH.
In every point of Wow, as we have said
he deserved success. No general ever
r,ode n greater use of mystery. He saw
from tho first that he commanded men o
education, thought; speculation-the mos
inquisitive of private soldiers. "ithoa
due precaution taken they were CERTAIN q.
~ know what it was inexpedient for tn