New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-12-31
MRS. GENERAL JACKSON.
Her Death and Burial.

| a.
OF the Union"
But we are anticipating events by paint
ing, perhaps out Of place. the private char
acteristics and traits of very great man
whose name belongs only incidentally t.
this memoir of one of his ancestors. Genera
jackson was elected President in the tai
of 1928 His domestic life had been scanned
and scourged, and his beloved and honored
| wife had been most Indignantly revlled
and tortured by the forked tongues Of hi;
political opponents. She was happy in his
love, and never aspired to the splendcr OF
his fortune in life. She had fed to his
manhood for protection and peace. and had
been sheltered and saved by his gallant
championship of the cause Of woman. He,
| and he alone, was her all, and OF him 1t
may be truly said, that in respect 20
"wassail, vine and women" he was one
of the purest men of his day, and that. too,
in an age of rude habits and vulgar dissipa-
| ton among the rough settlers OF the West.
He was temperate in drink. abstemious in
diet, simple in tastes, polished in manners.
except when reused, and always preferred
the society Of ladies, with the most TO-
| mantle, pure and poetic devotion. He
was never accused Of INDUCING in any
| of the grosser vices, except that in
early life he swore, horse raced and
| attended cock fights. AS for the wife Of his
bosom, she was woman Of spotless char
acter, and an unassuming, consistent Chris
tan; yet political rancor bitterly assailed
her, and, not content with defamation, en-
deavOred to belittle her by the contemptuous
appellation of Aunt Rachel" and held her
up to ridicule for smoking corncob pipe
She did prefer that form, not for the
pleasure Of smoking, but because a pipe
was prescribed by her physician for her
phthisis. and she often rose in the night to
smoke for relief. In night of December,
cI,< 20 no nd nt,%p II
while sitting in her night-clothes, and the
story is that her system had been shocked
by her overhearing reproaches of herself
while waiting in a parlOr at the Nashville
inn She had said to friend, upon the cleo
ton Of her husband: For Mr.. JacksOn's
sake am glad: for my own part l never
wished it. assure you l had rather be
dOorkeeper in the house Of my God than 20
live in that place IN Washington" She was
not allowed to live sin that place in Wash
ington.' Before the day of her husbands
inauguration at the White House she was
taken by her God to that ''house not made
with hands, eternal in the heavens"
The twenty-third of December was the
anniversary of General Jackson's greatest
strategy in war. He had, without means,
made preparations for the defense of New
Orleans. He had arrested suspected per-
sons by strong ARM lie had reused the
populace Of the city, of all races and colors.
to seize arms for defense: he had seized
cotton bales to make him line of impene-
trable ramparts from river to lagoon for
miles; he had manned gunboats to cooper
ate with the land forces: he had done won
ders in making strongholds out Of nothing
for the last bitches of defense; but the coup
dc main was, after making his last hold as
strong as he could. in leaving his intrench-
ments to attack the invading foe III full
force at night, with handful Of men under
NAA31 A. ..x-l.< IL
twenty-third of December, and striking the
enemy SO hard a blow full in the face that
he was staggered aud made to hesitate and
pause, giving Jackson sixteen days time to
recruit his forces and strengthen still more
his defenses. Had the enemy marched di-
rectly apon New Orleans on the twenty
third or twenty-fourth of December, the |
fallen prey to lis lust and rapine. But |
jackson pursued his policy of rashness.'
struck unexpected and unseen. and saved |
the city and won Immortal laurels.
This, the twenty-third of December !
1Slf-not the eighth of January. lSlJ-he |
counted his day of victory. Strategy was
the successful toreruuner Of courage and |
force.
Preparations were being made in Nash
vile TO give him and his lady grand re-
ception and celebration OF the anniversary
Of this his lucky day. and all eyes We're
bent toward the Hermitage to see the con-
luering hero, the then President. come
with his cherished wife at his side. when.
10. messenger on the white horse was
seen RIDING last, 10 announce that his part
ler was-dead. She was no longer the at.
lcted. deserted one whom he had cham
Dloned and married and lived with in holy
ana lawful wedIock. She was 10 longer |
lis angel bosom partner: she was no longer
target tor this worlds fiery darts of de-
ractlon; she was saint. The DAYS glad
less was turned to earthly mourning. and
he day of the funeral came ins,eal. OF tie
lay of teaSting.
DR.. Heiskel, of Winchester. Virginia. was
ust starting as young physician il the
lelghborhood of the Hermitage. and was
he first to minister to her relief and al
ended until two eminent physicians We're
alled III from Nashville. From him we
earned that size had caught cold. and
'leuritic symptoms supervened upon her
Constitutional nervous affections SAe was
lttlng smoking her corncob pine when sha
aught her last maladv.
The day OF burial came, and we witnessed
he solemn scene. This we can confidently
esty, that more sincere homage was do,,e
her dead than was ever done 70 any
roman IN our day and country living.
thousands ironf the city and from all the
ountry around Hooked to her funeral. The
DOR white people. the slaves of the Her
mage and adjoining plantations, and the
elghbors crowded Oft the gentry OF town
no country ana filled the large garden in
'hlch the nternent took place. Sic had
cen Hannah and Dorcas to every needy
ousehold. She had been more than mis-
ress, mother to her servants and depend.
lts: and the richest and best We're proud I
the privilege OF her sincere and simple
She was, without question. ,
wed and honored by high and low. rich
nd poor, and that love was so unatie,t edlv
Expressed by vail so loud and long thar .
lere was no nllstaking its grief for the loss. r
OF OF the departed one, but Of the living
1T behind her. From that same door Of :
he northeast room of the house near which | Y
re happy bridal party sat but few months '
e1Ore, her coffin was borne to the yraye q
ug IN the garden for her remains.
Following the pallbearers came General
ackson, with his left hand in the arm of :
eneral Carroll, holding his cane in his c
gnu hand, not grasplng it with the hand c
yer the head, nor with the thumb up but >
18th the back OF the hand up. and holding
lc point OF the cane forward as lie would Il
ave held sword, and where he stonped b
the pile OF clay its point rested on the
oos. Weeping and mourning We're heard i.
every side. but at that ,ue,ueut OF his L
'ining up to that cold portal OF clav a 4
Vorlte on servant OF Mrs. jackson burst a
trough the group around the 1it and
led To get INTO the grave with the coffin.
le was about sixty Years Of age, but ro- =
lst and strong and falling near the brink. G
u both feet over the edge of the crave 4
men The sexton and others took hold of
Y and prevented her DESCENDING. and
ere trying to raise her up and remove
II. Her cries were agonizins: Nv mis-.