Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1865-11-04
"REMINISCENCES OF sSTONEWALL'
JACKSON.
BY A MEMBER OF HIS STAFF.
NO. l..

and It's consequent engagement, from
Yorktown, and when near Richmond, |
applied for, and received orders 10 report
10 Major General i. J. Jackson, then
commanding the army of the Valley Dis.
trlct. waited day or two TO witness
pers sonaly the resul of the anticipated al
tack on Drewry Bluff Fort Darling,) in
which | was professionally interested as
an engineer officer. The Valley District
comprised section Of country embraced
between the Shenandoah on one side, the
Potomac on the other, across TO Romney.
and thence to Staunion. The Army of
the Valley District consisted of about
thirty five hundred men. and was formed
of General Jackson's own brigade, the
old Stone wall. General Edward johnson s
brigade, and scattering commands OF in
fantry and cavalry. started on the 22d
OF May, 1862, for General Jackson's head.
quarters. then somewhere between STas'
burg and Harrisonbnrg. in the Valley of
Virginia. General Ewell, with his divis'
ion, had joined him by way Of Swift Run
Gap.
General Jackson, in whom many had
recognized the great Captain he afterwards
proved himself 10 be, though still looked
upon by many as the crazy brigadier,"
with very small force, comparatively
had contested the ground through Briga,
der General Edward Johnson, the Bluch'
er of the Southern Confederacy, a. the lit.
lie town of Mcdowell. thence moving
rapidly down the Shenandoah Valley had
fought perhaps the mos, gallant fight OF
the war at KeInstown. near Winchester
thereby preventing General Banks from
reinforcing the Federal army operating
cas-. of the Blue Ridge, and falling back
to give rest to and recuperate his com
manJ. again gradually fell upon the de-
tached command Of Gen. Banks, and beat
them in detail. His surprises and vcto-
ries at Front Royal and Strasburg, and
minor intermediate engagements, had Ia
ken place. reached him on the morning
OF the 25th of May, near Winchester, and
reported 10 him in person. But, as the
saying goes, "there was no time to swap
penknives." had never before seen
General Jackson, nor had much oppor-
tunity Of hearing anything authentic abou
him. Hence anything concerning him
was something new. The enemy had
been driven TO the north side OF the town,
and Gen. Jackson had, through Lieuten.
ant Douglas and Lieutenant Pendleton,
given orders 10 prepare for general ad-
vance along the whole line. Only few
moments were permitted me, during the
morning of being with him, and ! could
only get glimpses of him from time 10
time. as he passed from one part of the
field 10 the other. Ye, the little ! then
saw of him gave me, perhaps, very fair
indication Of the man. His personal ap'
pesrance has already been frequently de-
scribed. Suffice it TO say that he still
wore his sunburnt brieadier's coat and
cap, which with him, and as part of him,
like Napoleon's little ,hIee-cornered hat,
were TO become SO famous. An ungrace-
full rider, though soldierly in his bearing,
clear, open, earnest eye, q firm, unruf.
fled countenance, quiet without much
talk, giving his orders 10 the point, and
no time wasted-such was Gen. Jackson
then. Shortly after reporting TO him, and
having passed through Winchester, fol,
lowing up OUT initial success, dense banks
of fog came down from out the hills and
enyeloped the entire field. The enemy
had taken position on a series of crests,
on the north side of the town. The Gen.
eral employed this moment of obscurty
from view 10 complete and push his ar
arrangements for making general advance
along the entire line, and compel the enc.
my 10 retire in disgust, and leave him
master Of the field. Lieutenant Douglas,
of his staff, had just ridden up and report.
ed that everything was in readiness. The
fog, which up to ,ha. time had rendered
anything like seeing matter of impossi-
bility, had just commenced lifting off the
ground, and Douglas remarked to the Cen
eral he though. the enemy were falling
back from the position before indicated.
The General first doubted the fact. but
soon verifying it, and giving himself the
command Forward - i'll a sharp, dis
tnct, clear voice. saw him for the first
and about the only time in my life what
might be called excited. Ordering the
troops Immediately behind to follow a.
double qnick, he rose slightly in his stir
rups, and taking off his little old csp,said:
"And now everybody hollow !" and star
ting in with yell, which in comparison
sounded very diminutve, and in tone like
that supposed 10 come from 4 cracked
Chinese fiddle. away we wen, with a yell
and shout horse and foot. No longer