Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1865-11-09

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! burst out into hearty guffaw-nost unusual
Of sounds upon the lips Of the serious soldier.
But such enpyrnent Of fun was rarc with him.
/ was never more struck with this than one
day at Fredericksburg, at General Stuarts
| headquarters. There was an indifferent bro
chure published in thcsc days styled ''Abrsm,
Poem in the common preface To which jack
son was presented in most ludcrOus light,
seated on 4 stump at Oxhill and knawins away
at roasting ear, while whole North Carolina
I brigade in line Of battle, was doing likewise
General Stuart read it with bursts Of laughter
to his friend, and Jarkson also laughed with
perfect good humor, but no sooner had the
book been closed than be seemed TO forget ITS
existence. and said with an irresistible matter
of fact expression which made the writer retire
TO indulge his laughter by The by IN gong
TO CLpepey. rhers did you cross The Rapsdan9'
His manner was unmistakeable. tt said; my
dear Stuart all that is, no doubt, very amusing
to you. and laugh because You do. but il don't
interest me-" On one occasion only, TO the
knowledge Of the present writer, did jackson
betray something like dry humor. 1t was at
Harper's Ferry, in September, 1862, Just after
the surrender Of that place, and General Lee
was falling back upon Sharpsburg. Jackson
was standing on the bridge over the Potomac.
when courier, out of breath, and seriously
''demOralized," gallcped up to him, and an
nounced that Mcclellan was within an hours
march Of the place with an enormous army
jackson was conversing with Federal officer
at the moment, and did not seem TO hear the
courier, who repeated his message with every
mark Of agitation Thereupcn jackson turned
round and said: alas he any cattle with him 2
The reply was that there were thousands.-
..WeIl." said Jackson, with his dry smile, You
can GO. Ny men can whip any army that
comes well proviiOned." or Wit properly
speaking, he had little. But at times, his brief,
wise matter Of fact sentences, be arae epigram-
matte Dr. Hunter Mcclure, his medical di-
rector, once gave him some whiskey when he
was wet and fatigued. jackson made wry
face in swallowing it, and Dr. MCGUIRE asked
ifi was not good whiskey. "Oh, yes, replied
jackson, 81 ike liquor, the taste and the effect
that's rhy I don't drink IT, A good sermon
on temperance
Jackson could sometimes feel the influence
of passion, as witness the following, which is
an account Of how the General received news
OF combinations that were being formed against
him to deprive him of his command just before
the great Valley campaign:
There were other times when jackson, stung
and aroused, was driven from his propriety, or
at least. out of his coolness The winter of
1862 was such an occasion. He bad made
his expedition to Morgan county, and in spite
of great sufferings among the troops, had forced
the Federal garrisons at Bath and Rornney to
retire. and accomplished all his ends. General
Loring was then left at Romney and jackson
returned TO Winchester All that is well known
What follows is not known 10 many. General
Loring conceived an intense enmity for jack
son, andmade such representations at Richmond
that an order was sent 10 Loring direct, not
through jackson, commanding In the Valley,
recalling him. jackson at once sent in his
resignation. The scene which took place be-
tween him and his friend, Colonel -. there
upon, was stormy one. The Colonel in vain
tried to pursuade him that he ought 10 recall
: his resignation. "No, sir,s exclaimed jackson,
striding fercely up and down, Il viii not hold
command upon terms Of that sort. ! viii
not have those people at Richmond interfering
with nv plans, and sending orders to an officer
under me. without even informing me. No
soldier can endure IL. care not for myself
: If know myself, do not act from anger-but
If / Weld now they will treat better men In the
same way, am nObody--but the protest
: must he made. or Lee and Johnston will be
meddled with as am" 1t was only after the
resignation had been withdrawn by the Cover
:, nor of Virginia WITHOUT his authority, and ex-
plantations, apologies and Protestaticns came
from the head Of the War Office, that the de-
sign was given up, Such is little raOrcedu
of private history, showing how jackson came
q neer not commanding in the Valley in 1862.
:
4 ''Cease your annoyance, said an indignant
i poet to his familiar, "ere ] grasp You By th'