Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1867-07-11
WOODSTOCK VIRGINIA, THURSDAY,

read, he says that through the Idoe CIV
en- him from above" he feels that rain
will fall at such and such time. Ger.
tainly he was an extraordinary man and
standing by his grave this evening seem
ed to realize that there lay below the only
man who could have conducted the war tc
successful issue on the part of the South.
Mr.. Swinton tells what he learned from
Governor Letcher about Stonewall Jack
son, as follows -
For the sake of his old-time acquain-
tances may say that his Governor Lctch-
er's) countenance still shines with the same
ruddy glow as of yore, and the he is re-
duced nowadays to very plain homespun
his ioyial good nature has outworn all the
changes of fortune. I will own that be-
fore l met Letcher [ had figured him to
myself as sort of Bardolph and Pistol
character but On acquaintance [ found
him to be man of thorough good sense.
x :: He claims to have first
discovered the merits of Lee and Jackson,
having himself made the former major
general and the commander Of the Virgin
ia military force, and having commission
ed the latter to a colonelcy and sent him
to command the State troops at Harper
Ferry.
Tn regard to Jackson, he said that for a
long time Davis and the Richmond peo-
pie had believed him to be no better than
lunatic, and the way in which Davis
first learned to appreciate what was in him
was in this wise In the spring campaign
Of 1862, in the Valley, jackson, after
causing Fremont and Banks to retreat,
turned on his track. finding himself pur-
sued by two convcrging columns, and with
drew up the Valley But at Gross Keys
he suddenly faced about and dealt Ere
mont staggering blow. Letcher receiv-
ing dispatch announcing this victory Che
was in the habit CT getting earlier intelli-
gence Of Jackson's operations than was re-
ceiyed in the War Office in Richmond, } he
went and read the message to Davis. The
latter, however, would not believe the
news, saying that it was impossible that a
retreatiug army should have thus turned
upon and beaten its pursuers. Letcher,
however, insisted it was true, as he knew
his informant would not send anthing that
was not true, and he told Davis that he
would probably find out it's verify by the
morrow. Now. by the next day, jackson,
having disposed Of Fremont, crossed the
river, and at Port Republic overwhelmed
the other pursuing column-the column of
Shields, which had been pursuing on the
other side of the river Peceiving dis
patch announcing this new success, Letch-
er again repaired to Davis's house, where
he found Benjamin and Seldom and tie
Cabinet at Dinner, and after taking glass
of wine he asked Davis ''Well, have you
any confirmation of the news | showed you
yesterday p EYES," replied Davis, Il
received to-day one Of Jackson's laconic
dispatches, saying that, "by the blessing
of God, he had beaten the enemy p "And
now, them rejoined fletcher, Il have an
other bulletin Of victory to show you"
handing him the message containing the
news of the success at Port Republic, of
which Davis had not yet heard. ut can't
be So" exclaimed the latter; cit is impos-
sible; it is unprecedented in all military
history that an army in full retreat should
thus turn upon and overwhelm two pursu-
ing columns p Nevertheless, the eonfr
nation again came to hand, and after that
jackson was 10 longer regarded as luna
tic.
The Governor also told NE another fact
in regard to Jackson, which [ think has
not been published. It concerns Jackson's
resignation. It appears that at the time
that officer made what is called the Bath
campaign into Western Virginia, several
subordinates went to Richmond and COM
planned grievously Of Jackson, whom they
pronounced crazy. In reward for this ser
vice these officers were promoted, and Jack
son, learning the fact, and feeling aggriev-
ed and outraged sent peremptory resig-
nation to the Richmond War Office Letch-
er, accidentally hearing this fact, went to
the Office, and asking about it, was inform
ed by Benjamin that it was So On in
curing what they were going to do about
it, Benjamin said he did not know; where
upon Letcher asked for the paper, and put
it in his pocket. He then wrote letter
TO jackson begging him to withdraw the
resignation, telling him what he had done,
and stating he should not return the pa
per unless he positively so ordered. After
a little he got letter from Stonewall stat
ing that he confaed in him as friend,
and authorizing him, if he really thought
fit, to withdraw the resignation This he
promptly did, and thus this closed the bus
mess.
In addition to these military reminiscent
ces the Ex-Governor told me multitude
ofmost extraordinary things-which | have
no inclination to repeat-regarding the en-
couragement and support the South leceiv-
ed in the early secession days from many
persons. since in very high places, civil
and military, at the North. The docu-
mentary proof of such aid and comfort
was contained in correspondence addressed
to Governor Letcher, which correspondence
he had prepared for publication in two vol
umes; but when Hunter came down in his
raid in 1864, and burnt Letcher's house
this cOrrespOndencn with all his other ma.