Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-12-24
stonewall jackson at fredericksburg.
DRunNosDvILLE, ONTARIO. CASADA, /
December 10, 1868.

Editors Savannah Morning News:
The communication to your paper over
the signature Of "A Virginian," in refer
ence to Pollard's statement that General
Jackson "once recommended night
attack to be made by assailants stripped
naked and armed with bowie knives"
with your com ments, l have met with in
another journal, and / trust it will not be
considered obtrusive on my part to make
a statement of facts coming within my
knowledge, and going to show that there
was no foundation either for Pollards
statement or that of your correspondent.
Of what little 10 left us there is nothing
which we should guard with more care
than the sacred memory OF our fallen
heroes; and in the case of General jack
son it is more necessary to protect his
reputation against the commentaries OF
ibjudicious friends than even the assaults
of open enemies.
I served under General Jackson from
the beginning of the battle of Malvern
Hill to his death, and WAS personally
present as a brigade or division COM
mander in every battle in which be par
ticipated during that period from the
beginning to the close of the engage
ments, except the battle Of Chancellors-
Vile proper, at which time l had
separate duty assigned me at Fredericks'
burg. | served with him longer than
any other general officer of his com.
mand, and l was division commander
in his corps longer than any one who
survived the war. 1t will therefore be
seen that it is not appropriate that
should say something when statements
are ostentatiously put forth which, how
ever intended, are calculated to bring
| discredit on the great and pure soldier
and Christian who gave his life to his
country's defense.
have not seen Mr.. Pollard article in
Putaam's Magazine and all l know OF
| il is what see in the communication 10
your paper, and your own comments. l
can undertake to assert, with the most
perfect confidence, that General jackson
could not have made such proposition
as that mentioned by Pollard, because it
was a moral impossibility for him to have
done it. Gladiators, in ancient times, or
the members of the priEe-riug in modern
times, might strip for their brutal con.
tests. but there is sentiment among all
civilized Christian people which would
prevent decent man being as brave
when stripped naked as when his naked
ness is concealed by his usual covering
A naked sword is more tetribls than o
sheathed one, but there is no reason why
naked man should be more terrible than
wsll-clsd one and certainly at the bat
tie of fredericksburg, in the middle Of
December, body of naked ssssilanti
would soon have become so paralyEed by
the cold that the enemy would have had
no trouble in dealing with them. General
jackson not only could not have made sc
foolish, so absurd, proposition at Fred
sricksburg, or anywhere else, for these
reasons. bat be could not have done il
for the simple aud conclusive reason thai
At no time we're the bowie knives to be
had. In the very beginning Of the
war some men carried with then
into the service bowie knives, bui
| theT were never very plenty, and tbs
only military use l ever knew tc
be made Of them was in aiding to throv
up slight eutrenehment the day ai,sI
the 6ght at Blackburn's Ford, en- S-i
Ruu. After that time they we're gene.
rally abandoned, or, il used ct ell, used
only for ehopping beef. / don't think
that in General Jackson's corps enough
could have been found TO arm one com
psny, and there we're certainly none 10
the ordnance department
Your correspondent states, as corroo'
orative Of Pollard's statement, that =
Fredericksbarz. on the night OF the lsih
Of December, 1862, after The snemy's Fs'