Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1865-11-14
STONEWALL JACKSON.

Under the ho3dlng southern GeneraiS III
Outline, Personal Sketches and Anecdotes"
the New Pork "News" has corresr rondent
who gives the first of promised series of
sketches of Southern Generals, a description
Of the personal appearance, traits, &C., of the
greatest military genius of the age. This
writer says that his position gave him many
opportunities Of seeing, in undress as it were
many of the most notable personages of the
time H describes Jackson as follows, as
he appeared at Cold Harbor:
Here is what jackson was like in harness
on the field of Cold Harbor. The writer was
sent about five in the evening, Just as A. p.
Hill had been repulsed from McClellan's ad
mirable defences, to ascertain whether Jack
sons column had gone in, and what his dis
positions were. A group near an old log
house was pointed out to me, and going there
| asked for the General. Some one pointed
to figure seated on log-dipgy, bending
over and writing on his kuees. A faded yei-
low cap Of the cadet pattern was drawn over
his eyes-his fingers holding pencil tfem-
bled. His voice, in addressing me, was brief,
curt, but not uhcourteous; and tnen, bis des-
patch having been sent, he mounted aud
rode slowly, alone, across the field. A more
curious figure l never saw. He sat his
raw -boned sorrel-not the "old sorrel," how
ever-like all automaton. Knees drawn up,
body leaning forward; the whole figure stiff,
angular, unbending. His coat was the din
giest of the dingy-originally gray, it seemed
to have brought away some dust and dirt of
every region in which he had bivouacked-
His faded cap was pulled down so low upon
the forehead that he was compelled to raise
his chin into the air to look from beneath
the rim. Under that rim flashed two keen
and piercing eyes-dark, with strange bril-
liancy, and full of eight" The nose was
prominent; the mustache heavy upon the
firm lip, close set beneath; the rough, brown
beard did not conceal the heavy fighting jaw
All but the eye was in apparent repose, there
was no longer any tremor of anxiety. The
soldier seemed to have made all his arrange
ments, "done his best" and waiting the re-
suit with entire GOODNESS. There was even
something absent and abstracted in his man
ner, as he rode slowly to and fro, sucking a
lemon, and looking keenly at you when you
spoke, answering briefly when necessary.
Twice more | saw him, that day-frst in
the evening, i'll the midst of furious she'll
ing, riding slowly with General Stuart among
his guns his face lit up by some burning
brushwood-a face perfectly calm and un-
moved. And again at midnight, when, as l
slept in fence corner, felt a hand upon
my shoulder, and voice said, "Where is the
General ?" 1t was Jackson, riding about by
himself; and he tied his horse, laid down be-
tween me and General -, and began
with, "Well, yesterdays was the most ter
rifle fire of musketry l ever heard !" Words
of unwonted animation coming from Jack
son-that most matter of fact Of speakers,
and expressing much.
Of the great soldiers sense Of humor the
writer has the following:
jackson had little humor. He was not
sour or gloomy, nor did be look grimly upon
"fun" as something which good Presbyte-
rian should avoid. He was perfectly cheer
full, liberal and rational in this as in every
thing, but he had no ear for humor, as some
persons have none for music. A joke was a
mysterious affair to him. Only when so very
'broad" and staring, that he who ran might
read it, did humor of any sort strike jackson
Even his thick coating of matter of fact was
occasionally pierced, however, At Port Re