Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1873-07-18
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DEATH OF sToNEwALL JACKSON
Strange Story of 1852 and 1868.
BY GEN. j. W. REVERE.

Arriving in New Orleans in 1852, [
was soon on my way up the Mississippi
and Ohio. Among my fellow passengers
on the steamer was Lieutenant Thomas j.
jackson, of the United States Army, who
seemed, at first, a remarkably quiet, re-
served, although very intelligent officer,
and with whom soon became acquainted,
for there is everywhere sort of conacra-
derie among officers of the two services
which attract them to each other i'll a
crowd of strangers. For several days the
| inland voyage continued, and our nights
were partially spent upon the hurricane
deck Of the steamer, engaged in CONVEX
sation. One of these conversations was SO
peculiar that it fixed itself in my memory,
and subsequent events proved it worthy of
record, although | confess / hesitate to
put in writing anything which seems to
border so nearly on the marvellous.
One clear starlight night. as we glided
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 had ever been induced
to take fight from the study of natural
astronomy, practiced by all naval officers,
into the realms of astrology. replied
that had always been interested, more
or less, in those mathematical studies re-
quired in nautical calculations and that,
from the exact rules demanded for work
ing the various problems of the ephem-
eris, j had sometimes, to amuse the idle
hours of a seattle, worked out the ma
tivities Of my shipmates. | had even
taken Zadkiefs almanac, and used his
rules, but without believing in the sci
ence of judicial astrology. Jackson,
however, was not SO incredulous, although
it was evident that he had not then de-
cidcd fully within himself as to the truth
or falsohood of this exploded science.
Before we parted at Pittsburg, day
or two after this conversation, had Civ
en- Jackson the necessary data for calcu-
! lating a horoscope, and, in the course of
a few months | received letter from
him, which | preserved, inclosing a
scheme Of my nativity. AS any one
who may have calculated these schemes
| by the rules must know, horoscope may
be interpreted in various, even contradic-
tory terms, by different persons, and this
was no exception to the rule The only
reason | had for remembering it at all
vas 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 rc-examinatlon.
The several planets were placed in their
respective houses above and below the
horizon, and Saturn being near the me-
ridian, and approaching square with
the moon, great danger was to be appre-
hcnded by the native at the period when
the aspect became complete. Mars also
bore threatening aspect, while Jupiter
was below the horizon, and semi-sextile,
which was not altogether unfavorable.
There was no time, and the sextile was
weak. Altogether, from the evil aspects
of he..square of Saturn, which threat
ened an opposition-that most dreaded
of all the evil aspect of the heavens-the
scheme was quite dangerous and malign.
The precise time and nature of the threat
ened danger, requiring a second calcula-
ton, accompanied the scheme, prognos-
ticating the elimination of the malign
aspect within some ten years, or during
the first days. of May, 1863, at which
time the native ran great risk of life and
fortunes but, III case he survived the