Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1877-07-12
STONEWALL JACKSON.
HIS APPEARANCE IN HIS TENT-A CON-
FLIcT OF EMOTIONS sUBDUED.

serve upon his staff, to share his tent,
to be by his side in some of his most
severe battles, and to see him under
various circumstances of absorbing
interest, when the material elements
OF his nature were fully aroused
when, as the men used to say, he had
''his war look on" and the ''revel of
DEATH was at its height around him
but his appearance on those occasions,
though sufficiently striking to be dis
tinctly remembered, never impressed
me as it did that night. Then, in
deed, he looked every inch the soldier
that he was! Presently after striding
several times up and down the room,
to repress feelings that were strug-
CLING for utterance, he stopped before
me end said, in lis quick, sententious
way--for among his other Spartan
like peculiarities. it was " Stonewall
Jackson's ways to be curt and la
comic III conversation, though never
dlScourteOuS-'' Sacrifice! Have |
not made them? What is my life here
pAiS a. NSSlIl w al iidS lIO
charms for me. I've seen too many
Of it's horrors! Preferment has no
alluremcnts to compensate me for its
trials and temptations. My only
ambition is to be useful. The hope
of being serviceable as a soldier was
what brought me here. | gave up the
peaceful pursuits Of q congenial occu-
patton for the cares. discomforts and
responsibilities Of the camp. left Il
very happy home, colonel, at the call
of duty, and duty now, not only per-
mits. but commands me to return to
my command. Not that L expect to
stay there. No. that blessing is not
allOVsd to any Of us now, in these sad
times of strife and suffering. l shall,
of course, seek other opportunities to
serve our State. | will serve her any
where, and III any way, in which |
am permitted to do it with effect;
even it be rs q private in the ranks.
Sacrifices, do you say, Colonel? |
sacrifice my position i'll the army here
for the sake OF the service! And Won
know not what II sacrifice it is for me
to leave my old command, now that |
have learned to love them and that |
know how much they, are attached to
met" Then Ito use the words of
the best OF his biographers in dcscrib-
ing thus SCcne), tutn, trayCrsiug the
floor with rapid strides, he burst into
an impetous torrent OF speech. in
which. he detailed Lis COM
prchensive projects with Napelenic
fire and bread b Of view, his obstacles
created by the reluctance and incom~
etrncy Of some with whom he was re-
CURED to cooperate. the hardships
and heroic conduct of his troops, the
brilliant success with which PrOyi-
drnce hod crowned his first steps to-
ward the completion of his plans, and
the cruel disappointment that had
dashed the fruit of all his labors."
- This order of Mr.. Benjamin, :"
said he, taking it up the table, reads !:
.h'" .-eVv~ i"dic"tc, that there is Il
movement making to cut or Lorino' S
command. Strange, that the Sccre-
tary should have news of movements
i'll this region which | cannot hear
nothing at all of with my scout con-
Stantly III the camps Of the enemy and
Ashi'y'S cavalry always on the alert
II he has derived his information
from tie officers of Rommcy, on fur
lough in Richmond. why were they
away from their post OF duty when
WIS supposed to bc IN danger: But
there was no danger, took proper
precautions before | left Lorinu; and
when | wrote to You for the telegraph
wire it was to make his communica-
ton with me more perfect. SO | might
90 to his assistance ut Il moments )
warning. yet, after all. these prccau-
tions-after all our troublc-hcrr
comes this command from the Sccrc-
tary to surrender what we have now:
to give it all up again to the enemy,
who are thus virtually invited TO re-
occupy the counties Of Hampshire and
Morgan, and renew their cruel work
of desoiati0n. All, if Mr.. BENJAMIN
could have been with us on our march
through those counties and seen for
himself the blackened chimgeys along
the roads, which marked the sites of
so many once happy homes. now ut
terly destroyed; if he could have
the tencless and desolated fields of the
ruined farmers, their slaughtered cat
tie, their helpless wives and half
starved little children, he surely would
not have had the heart to consent to
such Il cruel, uncalled-for and dis
graceful abandonment of those people.
But there is no help for it now. The
next news that comes from ROmney
will he of its reoccupation by the en-
emey, who will then be in a position
to cooperate effectively with Banks
in his contemplate invasion of the
Valley. When the spring campaign
opens the movement made in this di-
rcction will be on hoth tanks rs well
rs from the front. They want this
Valley, and if the Valley is lost, Nir-
ginia is lost
why has the Governor interfered
between me and my duty?"
. Because, said. 1, :. it was his
duty to do so; his duty to you as
well as to the Sta'e; for you know he
is one of your best friends and true
And, General, it is Nir-
ginia herself, through the Governor,
her highest constituted authority, who
asks you to continue in her service.
1t is our old mother State who makes
this appeal. She has been rudely
smitten on the check, and forced to
summon her sons to stand by and de-
fend her from further and deeper il -
salt and injury. Will you turn deaf
ear to her solicitation"
Such, substantially, were his re-
marks as he continued to traverse the
room: until finally, after he had thus
given full vent to his feeling and re-
sumed his seat, / reminded him that
it was growing late; and that as l
would have to leave Winchester by
daylight on my return to Richmond.
L hoped that he would not
let me 90 back utterly disappointed