The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-10-26
gratitude to the English donors and splen-
ni ~ Lar t.

J
ketch of his military career; and an entirely
lew version OF the manner in which he re-
,eived the wounds that caused his death.
The reader will alse find an account Of the
Of tho Stonewall brigade, a
roster Of its brave commanders, q full history
md description Of the statue aud pedestal rs
we'll as the inscription upon the statue, be
sides much other valuable matter which will.
we nope. make our psper welcome visitor
to every household.
sketch - che Life OF Jackson.
The main facts in the life of StonewalI jack
son are as familiar to our people as house
hold words; but as many details concerning
hi,a are not within the reach Of all. aud will
he Of deep interest to day TO the thousands
who seek to do him honor, Dispatch re-
porter, whose proud privilege 1t was to march
with the "foot cavalry" has prepared the
following
PERSONAL "REMINISCENCES AND ANECDOTES OF
STcSEwALL JACKSON:
used to hear the cadets Of the Virginia
Military Institute speak Of silent, stern, bu:
bard. d.workins professor, whom they called
" Old Jack" and upon whom they delighted
to play all sorts of pranks. ~Ghess were tra-%
ditiors Of bis having greatly distinguished
hin self in the Mexican war; and stories were
told of his walking back and forth on road
that was ploughed by the enemy's artillery
to irS oire his men with courage; of his sit
ting all alone on his piece when his men bad
been killed or driven of, saying that he "had
received no orders TO leave"; aud Of his
standing 10 his CUTS on auo!iier occasion
when all his supports had fled, and driving
eff an Immensely superior force of the ene-
my.
But these gallant deeds had been we'll
nigh lost sight of, and | confess that enter
ed largely into the general feeling Of disap-
probation when it was announced in the
early spring or 'G1 that d" Major jackson"
had been made Colonel" and sent to take
command OF Harpel's Ferry. which was
then considered one of the strongholds of
the Coofederacy.
l first saw him on the 4:h Of July. 1861,
while our army was drawn up In line Of bat.
tie at Darkesville TO meet Patterson. The
skill and tact with which he had reduced the
bigh-spirited young men who marched to
Harpel'S Ferry at the first tap of the drum
into the respectable Army of the Shenan-
doab," which be turned over to General
Johnston on the 23d Of May, Isl, and the
ability and s'ern courage with which he had
che cked PatterSon's advance at Falling Wa
tiers had won for him some reputation. and
was anxious to see him. confess that my
first impression was one Of disappointment,
and | was 10th to recognize IN the plain
looking, rather awkward man before me,
dressed in simple Virginia Uniform. the
rising Confederate leader. But when sp-
,b<1 \ lcfo foh mi
was to ask permission for q colporter who
had been stopped by our piekets to enter
our lines and prosecute his work among the
soldiers, he at once replied, With sweet
smile which fingers fresh ia my memory to.
day, "Cer,ainly, sir, Will take the greatest
pleasure in granting all such permits. Please
say to the colporter that be is more than well
come, that be must come to see me. and that
it will afford me real pleasure TO DO every
thing in my power to help HIM in the noble
work"
7 fingered for a time to have with him
delightful conversation on the religious in
terests Of the army, and went away with the
deep conviction that we had in him warm-
hearted, earnest CHRISTIAN, whose entire trust
was in the living God.
HIS PERSONAL APPEARANCE
as 1 saw him then and almost daily after.
wards is vividly daguerreoty ped on The
memory of his old corps who will readily
recognize the following picture drawn by
his intimate friend and chief of staff, Rev. Dr..
Il. l.. Dabney:
"Hs person was tall, erect, and muscular,
with The large band and feel characteristic
of all bis race. His bearing was peculiarly
Engisb, aud, therefore, in the somewhat
= &c ,,r;n. ~
strained. Every movement was quick and
decisive. His articulation was not rapid, but
dis nct and emphatic, aud accompanied by
that laconic and perspicuous phrase to whlch
it was so well adapted it often made the i'm
preston Of curtness. He practiced mill
tary exactne>s in all the courteSies OF good
society. Different opinions existed as to his
comellness, because it varied so much With
he condition of his health and animal spirits.
His brow WAS exceedingly fair and eXpan-
siye: his eyes were blue, large, and express
>iye. reposiug u>u ually in placid cIlm. but able
none the less to fish lightning. His nose
WAS Roman and exceedingly well cdI>eed !;
bis cheeks Iuddy and sunburnt; his mouth
firm and full Of meaning, and bis chin covered
with a beard Of comely brown. The re-
a,kahle characteristic Of his face was the
contrast between its stern and its Sentler
moods. As be accosted friend or dispensed
the hospi.aliles Of his own house his serl-
Gus, constrained look gave place to smlle
so sweet and sunny in lis graciousness that be
was another man. But hearty laughter
especially was complete metamorphesis; his
blue eyes then danced, and bis countenance
rippled with Il glee and abandon literally
infan,ie. This smile was lndeScrl0able 10
one who never saw it. Had there Deen
painter with genius subtle enough to hX
upon his canvas. side by side, the spirit OF
the couptenance with which he caught the
sudden jsst Of child romping on his knees,
and that with which, in the crisis OF battle,
he gave his generals the sharp and strldent
commard, "Sweep the field with the bayo-
net" he would have accomplished miracle
of art which the spectator could scarcely
credit as true to nature.
"ln walking, his step was long ana raplo,
and at oEce suggested the idea OF tue dis
hno,rnted horseman. IL has been said that he
was an awkward rider, but incorrectly. a
sufficient evidence of this is the fact that be
was never thrown. 1t is true that on the
march. when involved in thought, be was
needless Of the grace of bis posture; put 10
action. or as he rcde with his bare head along
the column, acknowledging the shouts "nlch
rent the skies, no figure could be nobler than
his. Such was the man as he left the quiet
walks of the military academy, in the spring
of 1861, 10 begin career which Was to NIL
the world with his fame"
And who does not remember that old gray
uniform " wbich soon became soied with Inc
dlu.t of the Valley those cavalry boots and
,spurs; that old cadet cap which tilted on his
pose; and, above all, that old raw.boned sor.
Gel which he rode and which the boys used
to say scouih not run except towards the
enemy :" Pie splendid "regu 'aion Con-