The daily gazette., 1877-06-09
STONRWALL JACKSON.
BPS APPEARANCE in HIS TENT "A con-
FLICT OF EMOTIONS sUBDUED.

upon his staff to share his tent, TO be by
his side in some of his seyerest battles,
and to see him under various circumstan-
ces of absorbing interest, when the ma
ter1al elements of his nature were fully
aroused--when, as the men ased 10 say,
he bad "his war look on and the 'revel
of death" was at his height around him,
bat his appearance on those occasions,
though sufficiently striking to be distinc =
ly remembered, never impressed me as 1t
didbthat night. Then, indeed, he looked
every inch the soldier that he was! Pres.
entity, after striding several times up and
down the room as if to repress feelings that
were struggling for utterance, he stopped
before me and said, in his quick senten-
THUS way-for, among his other Spar
tan-like peculiarities, il was 'sStonewall
JAckson's way" to be curt and laconic in
conversation, though never discourteous
+"Sacrifices! Have not made them?
What is my life here but daily sacrifice?
War has no charms for me; I've seen too
many of its horrors! Preferment has no
allurement, to compensate me for its tri-
ais and temptations. My only ambition
is to be useful. The hope Of being SER
vlceable as soldier brought me here.
gave up the peaceful pursuits of a con-
genial occupation for the cares, discom-
forts and responsibilities of the camp. l
left very happy home, colOneb at the
call of duty, and duty now, not only per-
mits. but commands me TO return TO it.
Not that l expect to stay here. No! that
blessing is not allowed to any of us now,
in these sad times of strife and suffering.l 4
shall, of course, seek other opportunities
to serve our State. Twill serve her any
where, and in any way, in which am
permitted TO do it with effect; even if it
he as private in the ranks. Sacrifices
, do you say, colonel sacrifice my posi-
| tion in the army here for the sake of the
service! And you know not what sacri-
lice it is for me to leave my old command
now that | have learned TO love them
and that | know how much they are at
tached to mel" ''Then (tO use the words
of the best of his biographers in describ-
ing this scene), then, traversing the floor
with rapid strides, he burst into an i'm
petuous torrent of speech, in which he
detailed his comprehensive projects with
Napoleonic fire and breadthof view, his
obstacle created by the reluctance and in
competency of some with whom be was
JLlC anu
heroic conduct Of his troops, the brilliant
success with which Providence had
crowned his first steps toward the COM
pletion of his plans, and the cruel disap-
pointment that had dashed The fruit Of all
his labors." ......
This order Of Mr.. Benjamin." said he
taking it up from the table, .'reads: Our
ne,cs indicates that there is a mOueB,entt TO
cut of LOring's command. Strange, that
the Secretary should have news of move
ments in this region, which can hear
nothing at all Of which my scouts con-
stantly in the camps of the enemy and
Ashby's cavalry always on the alert If
he has derived his information from the
officers from Romney, on furlough in
Richmond, why were they away from
their post Of duty when it was supposed
to be in danger? But there was no dan
| ger. l took proper precaution against
that before l left Loring; and when l
wrote to you for the telegraph wire it
was to make his communication with me
more perfect, so that ] might go TO his
assistance at moments warning. Yet
after all these precautions-after all our
trouble-here comes the command from
the Secretary 10 surrender what we have
now; to give it all up again TO the enemy
who are thus virtually invited to re-eccupy
the counties of Hampshire and Morgan,
and renew their cruel work of desolation
Ah! if Mr.. Be njamin could have been
with us on our march through those
: counties and have seen for himself the
blackened chimnies along the roads
which marked the sites of the many once
happy homes, now utterly destroyed; if
he could have seen the fenceless and
desolated field of the ruined farmers, ,theil
slaughtered cattle, their helpless wive,
and half starved little children, he surel,
would not have had the heart TO consen
l to such cruel. uncalled for, and dis
graceful abandonment Of those people,
But there is no help for it now. Th
next news that comes from Romney will
be OF its re-occupation by the enemy ,wh
will then be in position to co-operat
effectively with Banks in his contempla
ted invasion of the Valley. When tn
spring campaign opens the movemeu
Z made in this direction will be on bot
= tianks as well as from the from the from
They want this Valley, and If the Vale
is lost, Virginia is lost!'
Such, substantially were his remark
as the continued to traverse the room
until finally, after he had thus given fu
vent to his feelings and resumed n
seat,I reminded him that it was grown
late; and, that as ] would have to lea,
Winchester by daylight on my return
n Richmond, 1 hoped he would not let n
| go back utterly disappointed in the r
- suit of my interview-that if he won
consent TO remain in command of IL
Valley district, ! would insure hi
against any further interference from 81
Secretary of War, that would do ever
b, thing in my power to have his force i
creased, aud the dtsatfected portion
his troops replaced by those which wou
bs more reliable and effective. / to
him then of the arrangement which q
1t, Governor had made to have no acti
taken for the present on his resignatic
AT this he exc1aimed:
"Why has the Governor interfered
tween me and my duty?"
, Because" gaid /, sit was his duty
do so; his duty to you as wen as to I
no State; for you know he is one OF yC
best friends and true Virginian. Al
general, it is Virginia herself, throu
the Governor, her highest constitut
|,