The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1877-07-27
THE REREl. YELL.
The Music St0NcNEnll Jackson Loved
About His Dyspepsia.
[Philadelphia Times

About His Dyspepsia.
[Philadelphia Times.
have referred to Major Jackson's s
ill-hesslth. 1t took the. form Of dys-
pepsia, and onCe during the war he told
me he had suffered with it Tor twenty
years, aud he knew of no misery which
attacked II man AS it did, physically,
mentally and morally, and was IA like
ly to drive one to suicide. 1t produced
In him that simplicity Of diet which
was IA conspicuous as his simplicity OF
manners. He never was hearty
eater, but often ate or one or two things
on the table plentffully, eating some
things hc did not like, aud liking
many things he did not cat. In the
army he rarely accepted an invitation
to dinner and when he did it was gen
orally to oblige his staff. He once said
to me that he believed he was fOnder
Of whisky and brandy than any man
in his army; aud yet he never tasted it.
His discipline commenced with him
sell, land controlled his appetite as firm
ly as he did his troops. '
In fact and figure StoneV vail jackson
was not striking. Above the average
height, with II frame angular, muscu-
lar and fieshless, he was in all his
movements, from riding horse to
handling pen, the most ungracetul
man In the army. His expression was
thoughtful, and generally clonded with
an mir Of fatigue. His eye was small,
blue, and in repOse rs gentle as i. young
girls. With high, broad forehead,
small, sharp nose, thin, pallid lips,
deep SGT eyes, and dark, rusty beard,
he was not II handsome man. His face
in the drawing-rOom or tent, softcne&l
by his sweet smile, was :,s different
from itself on the battlefield as n little
lake in summer noon differs from the
same lake when frozen. Walking or
riding the General was ungainly; his
main object was to go over tho ground,
without regard to the manner Of his
going. His E,vorite horse was ns little
like Pegasus rs he was like Apollo !; he
rode boldly and well, but certainly not
with grace and ease. He was not II
man Of style. General Lee, ON horse
back or of, was the handsomest man
ever SAW. Ii WAS said Of Wade Ilamp-
ton that he looked AS knightly when
mounted rs if he had stepped out from
an old canvass, horse and MI. Breck-
enridge was II model Of manly beauty,
and Joe Johnston looked every inch {,
soldier. None Of these things can be
said of Jackson.
Akin to his dyspepsia, and perhaps
AS II consequences, was his ignorance oi
music. Ono morning, at Ashland, he
startled IA young lady from her proprie
ty by gravely asking her if she had
| ever heard II new piece OF music called
"Dixie," and as gravely listening Il
her while she sang it. He had heart
it a thousand times from the army
| hn~ n<l IL.
Judged by the Slakesperean standard
who could be more aft for .reasons
stratage,ns and spoiIs?" And YET
there was one kind of music which III
ways interested and delighted him. II
was the "rebel yeil'' of his troops. nc
| this grand chorus he never failed to
respond. The difference between the
regular uhurrah' of the Federal army
and the irregular, wild yell OF the Con
fetiefHtes WAS itS marked as the differ
et,ee in their uniforms. The rebel yell
was q peculiar mixture OF sounds, Il
X ind of weird shout. Jackson was
greeted with it whenever he made his
appearance to the troops, on tho marci,
or in battle; and just as invariably he
would seize his old gray cap from his
head in acknowledgement, and his
"Littie Sorrel," knowing his habit,
Wouid bfchk INTO Il Satfbp ana never
halt until the shout hnd ceased. re-
member ono night, at tattoo, this cry
broke forth in tho camp of the Stone
wall Brigade, and WAS taken
up by brigades and divis-
ions, until it rolled over field
and wood throughout the whole corps.
The General came i,ustiiy and bare
headed from his tent, and going up to
II fence near by, he leaned upon it and
listened in quiet to the rise, climax and
conclusion OF that strange serenade,
raising his head to catch the last sound
rs it grew fainter, and until it died
away like AN echo along the noun.
tains. Then turning toward his tent
he nuttered, in half sofitoquy, "'rhal
was tho sweetest music over heard, ,
GO TO WORK.