New-York tribune., 1868-12-26
RECOLLBCTfONs OP THE VAR


Cen Jubal Early has written from Canada a
letter denying tho story that Stoncva Jackson after
the battle OF fredericksburg recommended that Inc
Rebel army DO stripped the waist, armed with bowie
Knives md hurled upon the Union forces In general
night attack. lie says:
naked sword ia more terrible than a thGathed one,
terrible than ,yrcled one and certainly at the battle
of FreccrchsbTg, iu the middle OF DectApef pU 90
hy the cold iat the enemy would have had no tron6e ~
dealing with fhlm. Gen. jackson NOT only could moi
have made so foolish 20 absurd n proposition as Fred
erickshurg or anywhere else, Tor these rel.
sons; but he could not have done il for the simple ac
10 bo had. In the very bccndg OF the war; some men
carried with them into tire service boWekulve5, DuI
ever Knew 10 be made OF thcm was in aiding throw no
slight eHreuclment the day after the hght AZ Black
burus Ford, Ball Run. After that time they were
generally abandoned. Or, II used at ALL used only FOR
cnoUpng beef ] DONE thiuk that ~ Gen. Jac8sons
entire corps enough could have been FOUND 70 arm one
cOmranv and there certainly none IN the Ordnance
Department Gen Lee thought 1t consistent with
ms position 70 contradict any ot inc many erroneous
statements put ah0at during the wax, and ho
discouraged everything OF the kind on the
part Of his officers. I knew lis views on
that subject. because one occasion, when bad
corrected missaemont Of correspondent ~ regard 70
Ichuke winch disclosed his own views and ehectnaily
prevented me from repeating the indscretlon served
uuder Cen Jackson rom the DetlhhInk o. tiiG D.e
Malvern I'm 70 bis death, and was personally present
brigade or division commander in every paitle ~
which he participated during that pefod lFOn thc DtE
uug tn close Of the cnSagements except the bac O
CbaupellCrsyllic al which time had separate
duty assigned me al tTedeuckspurg served win hlh
longer than any other general officer Of us cOniuaud
ioio InU ,6su aIv who survived tho war
At the battle Of Fredericksburg com
inandcd division il Gen. Jackson's corps tthe Sec
Ond) and my division met part 81 the enemy who had
broken through our lines the right and drove him
recoec;ei by some your readers Georgia brigade
OAWtOns afterward Goriou's) led in tho attack and
had met the enemy and aided Ia his repnse, then occa
pied portions Of the front line for the rest OF the day. and
had been repsed. he had very large force that had
not been engaged, which stlil threatened , anolneI
Gen. jackson aid determine to attack the enemy
aGer the Tepulse Of tue attacks on our !er, ana
ordered t0 lead in The proposed attack WIN ny ~
fanty preceded 10y artillery, while Cen ID lII IOONeu
0e With his division Ia support Everything was got
Which Srt All tho Wide plain in our front that Gen.
h orders. because as he says IN his report The hrst
gun had hardly moved forward from the wood hundred
petcy swept our irOnt as to satisfy me that te proposed
movement should be abandOnod' II getting dalk
when this movement was abaudOned ana II was well
tat given up for the enemy ad IN immense lOlce
OF infantry that had been engaged, massed IL the
baLknent of earth which served as an incosure
for tic adjacent fields and furnished breast
work cOeXeIsiye with our whole mont on THIS part 0t
az the base Of Maryc's Hil There was similar EN-.
baukment the Other side Of the road, forming second
line, and he front one had been pierced In numerous
places FOR artillery that from behind IL storm Of can.
ulster and Tie balls would have 6cched forth that would
have rendered It utterly Impossible lo a thlng 70 Hte
while passing tho open plain OF about nlle IN
width between us aud the road However ready they
were 20 obey tho OfCcia OF th0l oenel 70 s'isane'
there not " ali the force ordered forward,
whether in the iIont or Ia support, that ae ,@ @ n9t
breathe fIeer when the cOunteluHhd came Muth
has been said IN unofficial quarters about
Gen. Jacsson's supposed lropQsitIoh 10 uIihe M
foregoing statement that le dd make tho attempt ana
,, o,,pd ~ abandon IT, Idld n0. hear OF any other
to attack Inc SneEY on tlht occasion,
fc oftcr dsYk on that day received an order rom
cen Jackson TO take my brgGdes TO the rear 20 ehhDe
,eI 10 get ra0us and rest preparatory to uer taxing
op On the 'front.' line tho next day. which was
lot able 20 do, because no troops co 70 ny "a
Ihout midnight another order came for JaceSQns o!d
division then under BrgGen Ialdierio, ana since, 10
relieve A. +. H's division, on the front Inc, al moon
rise which then alJer the middle OF the nisA as te
moon wI5 ~ its last quarter Taalorro did move UP
my b!lgades beng already N 4roLt-ahd our
fosncr position on the second Inc was taken ny
b. H. Hll, while A. F. Bil retired 10 tie rear 70
rest aud Iecrlit lis men. There WAS no oidef 10
make tie strip TO the waist Tor IN attack or oI any
but our orders to await the renewal Of the
eremy's attack next day lhink that there had been
any order for tho men 70 STRIP, woud certainly halo
heard Of that There was silly story puJlsLtu IL some
on the papers that al a council oi war held tiat meH;
Gen. jackson fo INTO uOIe' anu NHCn ~ ~"Y-Gu ~ % t
a sked what his opinion was be rcMIcd, Drive 'l1 III
the rver drive em in the river" But no oe VINO kne"
the Generals exemplary pety anu Neis onnpsiae pNeo
habits t Is TO DO pIesHaed gave Ip % war W ot an
either on afterwnrd, except rom lhe FOOLISH IclVt
alluded 90. The eXDedieht OF ttHpphs 10 inc
e night was very dark the fore part, aud IN the latter
part when the moon heavy log oyefhung the Eer
NN.l
white siirs aud the dark at little distance, II wonl1
have been impossible 10 tell aman without laeAet IOn
ore with Jacket. Ii TINS had furnished tue means OF
telling tie apart the advantage would nave peeh
All win the enony, who wOdld have awaited tt attack
Ia compact form, while our men would nave nl 20 5eId
ee iuuueraDle parties through tie stIcee
ao ,tct of tIs sort il wond have been Impossible
70 reserye auy control Of men, ana tney would nave
gotten INTO ineGtrcabe confusion large portion OF
onr men nnOre than third had no bsyOnets, as the
their nad been plcheu
dis without baycnets. Our men always deautu
night attacks from the fear OF encOuntelg eoch otne
and none knew this better than General Jackson 40
am perfectlv satisfied that the attack attempted,
would have resulted N terrible disaster 70 nsgteateI
perhaps than would have attended an attack from our
light General JackEOns stan al thht nc, Win the eA-
enton of his TWO aids, aferWaTd my own stan Tor
considerable period and never heaia an lblIinaLoh
from any member OF II that the proposal Dad Dee ude
Dropo.e a renewal OF the attack next Gay, and was
only induced 10 desiSt from u by the earnest pro
tesf OF ms Offeere-nOt because OF the demoraiiLa-
tiOn OF the army, but because OF the eIeDktn Va @ o
been yield advantage There Is ahOther feaeoh
which, 10 me, most potent one, and that because
know that bOlde-t IN his strategic movements
and his tactics the field OF battle III oil the Army OF
Northern Virginia StOnegall jackson not eAcepeu was
Gen Robert T. Lee. Yes, under that calm ana uSlncu
exterior there OF the Doidest heaI anu uht
one of the most daring minds that ever inspired the COM
ander of an army. lie required no council OF war 10
bm OF bOldness ana never heafu OF 70
council Of during the Whole history OF lhue arnS
with his corps commanders, and sometimes with suDOI-
dnates ntrusted with special duties Dut u was nOt 70
catch inspiration from their c0unses out 70 lstn no
them portion OF his own daring spirit Gen jackson
had his confidence preCminent degree. because ne
Was always ready second with alacrlty the plans OF
the commanding General and no one ieIt inc osb OK
that Invaluable lieutenant more than GoD Lee himself
did.
s-<,,, ,,,N-r o.,- tn ,N(rcpo