The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-10-27

him sslf In the Mexican wf; anitstories were
ri; nc his walking back and forth on - road
Ihtt was ploughed by the enefny's artillery. q
% IRIS hire his men with courage Of MS sit- 6
inv all alone on his piece when his men nad I.
been Killed or driven of, saying that be "nad
rec,iyefi no orders to leave"ii;; a1d OF MS /
s,sna;ry 10 his guns on another occasion |
q Non afl his supports hid fed, and driving
Off an Immensely superior force Of the enc
Rat these gallant deeds had been well |,
nicn lost sight of, and confess that enter I
cd iorse,y into the general feeling OF disap- 4
nrob,tion when Il was announced In the
carly spring or '61 that ]" Major jackson 1
had been made Colonel" and sent to take
command of Harper's Ferry. which was
then considered one Of the strong holds OF
the Coutederacy. ss7 IS Il. sr
FIRST saw him en- The 4!h Of July. 1851, !
while our army was drawn up In line OF bat
tie at Darkesvile to meet Patterson. Inc 1
skill and tact with which he had reduced the A
bigh.spirited young men who marched 70 1
HarpeRs Ferry at the first tap OF the drum l
into the respectable Army of the Snenan: 4
doah.'' which be turned over to General
Johnston on the 23d Of May, Isl, and The 4
ability and stern courage with which ne had
ehf cssd PatterSon's advance at taillEg wa
tiers bad won fox: him some reputation, ana
was anxious to see him. Iconfesstna my
first impression was one of disappointment
and was 10th to recognize in, the plain. 1
looking, rather awkward man before me-
dressed, in q simple Virginia UNIFORM; tne
rising, COME dera'e leader. But Wnen up
prosched him and stated my mission, MnIu
was TO, ask permission for co'poftsF "no
hid been stopped by our plcsets 10 cntet,
our lines and prosecute his work among inc
soldiers, be at once replied, ~lth@aisW SWEEP
smile which fingers fresh in, my memory To-
day, "Certainly, sir, / will take, the greatest
pleasure in granting all such permits. LEASE
say to the colporter, that be IS more than Weit
come. that he must come to see me. and that
n viii afford me real pleasure to do every
thin.. in my mower To help him in the nooic
work." ttHa ~, -
I fingered for time to have with him
d,Iirhtiul conversation on the religious IN
terts.s of the army, and went away with the
deap conviction that we had in him warm
hearted. earnest Christian, whose entire trust
was In the living God. s.. Fl af .%1
HIS PERSONAL APPEARANCE
as / saw him then and almost daily after:
walds is yividly daguerreotyped on the
memory OF his old corps who viii readily
r,eJgoize the following picture drawn by
his intimate friend and chief Of staff, Rev. DR..
e. l.. DlbIey: .s,.... ,e.,-..g,
CHS person was tall, erect, and muscular,
with the large hand and feet characteristic
of all bis race. His bearing was peculiarly
English, and, therefore, in the somewhat
frce s,cieiy Of America was regarded IS con.
strained. Every movement was quick ana
dccis We. His articulation was lot rapid, but
distinct aud emphatic, and accompanied by
that laconic and perspicuous phrase to Whlch
il vas so well adapted it often made the I'M
preston Of curtness. lie pracllced mill.
tary exactpess 10 all the courtesies of good
society. D ffe:ent opinions existed as to his
comellncss, because 1t varied SO much with
The condition Of Ills health and amman spirits.
His brow was exceedingly fair and expan- /
sive; his eyes were Dlue, large, ana express
size. rcpcsiug usuGlly in placid calm, but able
none the less TO fash lightning. His nose
was Romau aud exceedingly well chise'ed;
his cheeks rudy aud sunburnt; his mouth
firm and full Of meaning, and his chin covered
with beard Of comcly brown. The re-
NJ kahle characteristic, Of his face was the
contrast between its Stern and ITS CENTER
mo ,Gs. AS he accosted q friend or dispenser
the hospiaities of his own house his seri-
Gus. constrained look gaverplace to a smile
so sweet and sunny in It's graciousnesS that ne
was another mau. But hearty laughter
especi9liy was a complete metamorphess; his
blue eyes then danced, and bis countenance
rpplea With a gIee aud abandon literally
infintiic. This smile was indcscribable to
one who never saw it. HAD there Deen O
paiuteT with genius subtle enough to nix
upop his canyas. side by side, the spirit OF
the countenarce with which he caught the
sudden jsst Of child romping on MS knees,
and that with which, in the crisis of battle,
he gave bis generals the sharp and strldent
commaud, "Sweep the field with the bayo-
net - he would have accomplished miracle
of art which the spectator could scarcely
credit as true to nature.
I'm walking, his step was long ana rapio,
and at orcs suggested the idea OF the dis
mounted horseman. 1t has been sald that ne
was an awkward rider, but incorrectly. a
sufficient evidence of this is The fact thai ne
was never thrown. 1t is true that on the
march, when involved in thought, he was
needless OF the grace OF bis posture; but ID
action, or as he rode with his bare head along
the column, acknowledging the shouts which
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 which soon became soileu with the
dust of the Valley those cavalry boots and
spurs; that old cadet cap which tilted on bis
nose; aud, above all, that old rawbOncd sor-
| rel which he rode. and which the boys used
| to say "c0uld not run except towards the
enemy!' The splendid "resu alton Con-
| federate uNIorm which bis devoted friend
| the chiyalric "Jeb" Stuart presented him
| with just before the battle Of Fredericks-
burg, and which lie wore for the first time
on that OCCASION, has been forgotten, but
that old uniform in which we used to see
him gallop aloGg the lines amid the deaien.
inc cheers Of the brave fellows who followed
him with loving enthusiasm can never be
forgotten, and will be recalled again and
again to-day as the veterans of his old corps
gather to do him honor.
The crowded columns of the Dispatch will
allow only very brief
FpIToME OF his LIFE.
Thomas Jonathan Jackson was born at
Clarksburg, in West Virginia "a part of the
cold Dominion" them, in the year 1924.
Left penniless orphan at three years old,
he grew>up an Industrious, Woodworking
boy, with few educational advantages, but
SO esteemed for his energy and integrity of
character that at sixteen be was appointed
constable, and might have succeeded well in
business pursuits But conceivipg an ardent
desire to secure suitable education and en-.
ter the military service of the country he
went to Washington (makiug large part of
the journey on fooD, aud through the infiu.
euce of the congressman from his district Sc.
cured at the age Of seventeen an appoint
ment as cadet to West Point. His previous