Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-11-20
A DISH OF THE MARVELLOUS,
The Death OF StOnewa!I JaclksOn-A
Strange story Of 1882 and 1863, by
Gen. j. w. Revere.


The Death OF StOnewn!I JaclksOn-A
Strange story Of 1852 and 1853, by
Gen. j. w. Revere.
Arriving at New Orleans, in 1852, was
soon on my way up the Mississippi and
Ohio. Among my fellow passengers on
the steamer was Lieut.. Thomas j. jackson,
OF the United States Army, who seemed,
at first, remarkably quiet, reserved, al
though very intelligent officer, and with
whom I soon became acquainted; for there
Is everywhere a sort of cameraderie among
the officers of the two services which al
tract them TO each other in a crowd of
strangers. For several days the inland
voyage continued; and our nights were
partly spent upon the hurricane deck of the
steamer, engaged in conversation. One Of
these conversations was so peculiar that it
fixed itself in my memory; aud subsequent
events proved itself worthy of record; al
though confess hesitate to put in writ
ing anything which seems TO border SO
nearly on the marvellous.
One clear, starlight night, as we gIided
along the calm river, our conversation
turned upon the armament and its count
less orbs that looked down upon US. Jack
son asked me if l had ever been induced to
take flight from the study of nautical as
tronomy, prscticed by all naval officers, into
The realms Of astrology. l replied that l
had always been interested, more or less,
IL those mathematical studies required in
nautical calculations; and that, from the
exact rules demanded for working the va
rious problems Of the ephemeric, | had
sometimes, ID amuse the idle hours Of a
seattle, worked out the nativities of my
shipmates. / had even taken Zsdkiel's al
manac, and used his rules, but without be-
lieving in the science of Judicial sstrology.
jackson, however, was not so incredulous;
although it was evident that he had not
then decided fully within himself as TO the
truth or falsehood of this exploded science.
Before we parted at Pittsburg, day or
two after this conversation, | had given
jackson the necessary data for calculating
a horoscope; and, in the course of a few
months, received from him letter, which
L preserved, iDclosing a scheme of my natiV-
ity. As any one who may have calculated
these schemes by the rules must know,
horoscope may be Interpreted in various,
even contradictory terms, by different per-
sons; and this was no exception to the rule.
The OILY reason had for remembering it
Al all was, that our destinies seemed to run
IN parallel lines; and, so far, it was remark
able. 1t was this popularity that caused
jackson to communicate with me, and the
reason why | laid it carefully aside for a
re-eXamination.
The several planets were placed in their
respective houses, above and below the
horizon, and Saturn being near The meri-
dian, and approaching square with the
moon, great danger was to be apprehended
by the native at the period when the aspect
became complete. Mars also bore threat
ening aspect; while Jupiter was below the
horizon, and semi sextile, which was not
altogether unfavOrable. There was no
trine, and the seXtile was weak. Altogether,
from the evil aspect of the square of Saturn,
which threatened an oppositiOn--that most
dreaded of all the evil aspects of the heavens
the scheme was quite dangerous and
malign. The precise time and nature of
the threatened danger, requiring a second
calculation, accompanied the scheme, prog
nosticating the elimination of the malign
aspect within some ten years, or during the
first days of May, 1868, at which time the
native ran great risk of life and fortune;
but, in case he survived the peril, the omi-
nous period would never again recur.
In bis letter Jackson says: 81 have gone
over these calculations several times, as
their result is almost an exact reproduction
of my own, It's clear to me that
we shall both be exposed TO a common
danger at The time indicated" Having but
little faith in the almost forgotten and alto
gether Iepudiated science of astrolopv, [
took little heed Of either his scheme of
nativity or his letter, regarding the former
as ingenious, but az merely q proof of an
ardent and somewhat enthusiastic tempara.
ment; while l little imagined, at that time,
that the rather unpublished and rugged ex
terror Of Lieut.. Jackson concealed char
2cter destined to become famous among his
countrymen.
L served in the army in 1928 until
after the battle of Charlottesville, partici.
pating in all its important engagements, and,
the grester part of the time, commanding a
brigade. At the battle above named was
an involuntary witness of an event which
hES an important bearing on the issue of
the war, and which had been the subject of
prolonged controversy. Iref5r to the death
OF Stonewsl JACKSON. The circumstances
under which l acquired the right to give
testimony in the matter were somewhat
remarkable; and | here give full statement
Of them. The left of my brigade line lay
near the plank road at characteristics; and,
az er night had fallen, rode forward, ac-
coiding TO my invariable habit, TO inspect
my picZet-line. The moon had risen, and
partially Illuminated the woods. began my
on the right of the picKet-lne,
progressing gradually TO the left, where /
stopped 20 Tectify the post Of a sentinel not
far from the plank road. While thus en-.
gagged 1 heard the sound of hoofs from the
direction of the enemy's liae, aud paused
to listen. Soon caValcade appeared sp-
us. The foremost hOrSeman de-
tached himself from the main bOiy, which
halted not far from us, and riding cautious
IL nearer, seemed to try TO pierce The
gloom. he was so close TO us that the
soldier nearest me leveled bis rife for a
shot at u.m; but forbade him, as | did |
not wis to have our position revealed; and |
1t would have been useless to kill the man,
whom Judged to be staff officer making |
q recon pis2nce.
Having Completed his observations, this |
person joined the group in his rear, and !
all retur ed at a gallop The CHATTER of |
hoofs soon ceased to be audible; and the |
silence / the night was unbroken, save by 1
the mel choly cries of the wbippoorWill, |
VT re heard in one continued wall, /
III voices; when the horizon was
liz by sudden fash 10 the direct
10. As enemy, succeeded by the we'll