Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-12-22
Barbarous Proposition.


Mr.. E. A. Pollard, of Richmond,
the fre-eating editor and author, con-
tributes an article on Stonewall Jack
son to Putnam's Monthly for Decem-
Der, in which he states that the Gen
eral "once recommended night at
tack to be made by assailants stripped
naked and armed with bowie knives,
suggesting that the novelty and ter
ror of such an apparition would par
alyze the enemy" i.'
Many of the leading papers through
out the South having published the
above quoted statement, and accused
the author of falsehood, and of an at
tempt to slander the illustrious dead,
a Southern gentleman, who signs him.
self "A Virginian," comes to the sup
port of Mr.. Pollard, and succeeds in
showing that at the least he had
grounds for the assertion. He says
the occasion referred to was immedi-
ately after the battle of Fredericks-
burgh, in December, 1862. He adds:
"After the battle of the 18th, by dark
on that day, the enemy's troops, to
the number of 10000, torn, bleeding,
and thoroughly disorganized, were
crowded into Fredericksburgh. The
confederate chiefs held council of
war. Gen. Lee thought the enemy
would renew the attack in the MORN
ing Gen. jackson thought otherwise,
but suggested that the artillery of the
First and Second Corps, This and
Longstreet's) should be collected up
ON the hills in front of the town, and
a heavy fire opened upon it, and that
the men of his corps be stripped to
the waist, and under cover of the ar
tillery, at dead of night, force their
way into the town and bayonet all
who were not similarly attired. Jack
son expressly stipulated that MS
troops should not be allowed to fire,
but should only use the bayOnet;
while Longstreet's should neither be
stripped or join in the attack, but on
ly prevent the enemy's escape. The
plan was fully agreed upon, and posi-
tionS taken, but the signal was never
given, for the reason, as it was under
stood, that Gen. Lee feared the in-
habitants of the town would suffer
alike with the enemy"
This most worthy apologist for
both Pollard and jackson concludes
as follows:
"No pen can describe the horrors
and butchery that would have attend
ed that night bombardment and at
tack, as suggested by the dead nero
who believed that "war meant fight
ing, and fighting meant killing" The
town which, in its best days did not,
perhaps, contain more than 5000 in
habitants, was crowded with artillery,
wagons and about 10000 men, beside
the wounded and non-combatants-
The enemy quietly recrossed the riv-
er on the night of the 18th, leaving
the ConfederateS to rejoice over
another barren victory. An examin-
alton of the town, after their depart
ure, showed that the men had been so
numerous that the houses were not
sufficient TO contain them, and that
they had torn down the outhouses aud
railings, and broken up the furniture,
in order to make beds in the streets
and yards.
The writer of this communication
has most profound respect for the
memory of Gen. Stonewall Jackson,
yet he does not believe with others
that the assertion made by Mr.. Pol
lard, that the illustrious hero desired
to make a night attack upon the ene-
my with his troops stripped, is SLAM
der upon his memory; but he does
believe that if there had been more
stripping to the waist and night at
taeks, with fewer days of thanksgiv-
ing and fasting and prayers, the South
would have less barren victories to re-
joice over and less to mourn for now."
. xro,loc.no