The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-01-12
StoneWall Jackson.
vuo KILLED THE GREAT CONFEDERATE
LEADER.


from a Communication in the New York
Herald from Gen. Jos. w. Revere.
Having observed your remarks on
the subject of the death of the rebel
General Thomas Jonathan Jackson, l
take the liberty of asking you to add
nv testimony to that of others so that
there can remain no reasonable doubt
INIT that he was killed by his own
troops, and will make my narrative as
short as possible for your columns.
At the battle of charlottesville l
commanded the Second brigade of the
Second division of the Third Army
Corps, and our division was held in
reserve near the Charlottesville
House until about five o'clock on Sat
urday afternoon, the 2d of May, 1863,
which was the time of the furious at
tack made on the right of our line oy
Jackson, which broke the Eleventh
corns. hurting it back in disorder. We
we're almost Immediately ordered to
+be front to check the attack of the en-
envy and deployed in line of battle to
the RIGHT of the Orange Courthouse
Dlank road, not far from our first posi-
ton, the enemy stopping any further
advance at that time. AS soon as my
line was formed and pickets thrown
out in front of it, rode to the front to
inspect the picket-line, as it was my
invariable habit to do, to rectify its
positions il necessary. 1t was now
In LOT fha 10
Tight aided the vision to pierce the
darkness of the dense forest in which
was our position. While engaged i'll
changing the posts of some of the SEN
tinels covering the left front of my line
in comparatively clear place near the
plank road, l heard the sound of an ap-
nroaching cavalcade from the side of
the enemy, which soon appeared, and,
the foremost horseman detaching him
self from it, came on alone, so near
that the soldier nearest ME leveled his
rifle for shot at him; but I stopped
him from firing, not wishing to reveal
our position, and Judging him an Off
Ger making q reconnaissance, in which
case it would have been a useless thing
70 lin him--even if he could have hit
him in the uncertainlight. After few
moments, spent apparently in trying
to pierce the gloom, this person slowly
turned his horse, and the whole party
returned towards the Confederates at
gallop. The CHATTER of the hoofs be-
came fainter i'll the distance, when
suddenly the darkness in that direc-
ton was lighted up by fash, succeed
ed by the we'll known rattle of Il vol
lev of musketry from at least a battal-
ion. on the right of the road. and after
the interval of about twenty seconds
came another volley from its left
Being apprehensive that some of our
troops might possibly be in that direc-
ton. I determined to ride forward
alone and satisfy myself, as, if called
into action, there might be danger of
firing upon orr own troops. did so,
leaving my orderly within my picket
line. Emerging from the thick under
growth upon the road, a riderless horse
dashed past me towards our lines, and
/ refined up near a group of three per-
sons, two of whom were supporting the
third, who wasstretched on the ground,
apparently grievously hurt. A horse,
or perhaps more than one, were rear
by, as saw indistinctly, but whether
they were tied to trees or held by other
persons could not make out. / saw
at once that these were Confederates.
probably officers. and visions of the
Libby began to fit through nv mind
at finding myself so near them, but re-
fleeing that | was we'll armed and
mounted, moreover that I wore pri-
Yates gray overcoat and slouched hat,
being common to both parties, l sat
still, regarding the group in silence,
but prepared to fly if necessary at the
first warning. The silence was broken
by one of the persons, who seemed to
regard ME with surprise, and, speaking
as one having authority, he directed
me :" TO ride up there and see what
troops those were," indicating the di-
rection of his army, to which gave a
sign of assent, and, too happy to es-
cape, rode in that direction until out
of sight of the group, when, making a
circuit, returned within my own lines.
just as | reached our picket line the
Federal section of artillery posted on
the plank road commenced firing, and
/ could plainly hear the grape crashing
through the limbs of the trees near the
point had left. l found my brigade
engaged in strengthening their position
b a rude line of abatttis in prepara-
ton for the battle. That night two in
trepid officers of my brigade
Colonel Holt and Capt. Hugo, OF the
Seventh New York-crawled on all
fOurs within the enemy's lines, and
captured several prisoners, from whom
extracted the information that Rhodes
division of Jackson's corps lay in our
front, and one of them, an officer, gave
me, upon sort of cross-examination,
some interesting details. At early
daylight next morning Sunday, May
3d} the enemy commenced vigorous
attack upon our line, which being I'M
supported, although thousands of fresh
troops lay within half musket-shot.
was forced, after gallant defense and
heavy loss, to retire and yield the
ground to them.
About fortnight afterwards, at the
camp of Falmouth, 1 saw the Rich
mond Enquirer, giving a detailed ac-
count OF the death of Stonewall Jack
son, and the circumstances of his re-
ceiving his wound, which made it clear,
to me at least, that the man saw w.
ing on the ground was himself, and
that ne was killed by his own men,
FN.v