Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-04-21
STONEWALL JACKSON-A VISIT TO
HIS WIDOW AT HOME.
"reminiscences Of The Create onfeder.
ale Leader, and His Part in the
Civil Nar---Mrs. jackson
and Her Daughter.
Correspondenceoft ofthe Philadelph

| Correspondence ofthe Philadelphia Times.
CHARLOTTE, March There
are few things that this little burgI
is prouder of, !" remarked an efnusive
native to your correspondent, '.than
| that it is the home of fStonewall Jack.
sons widow" The love that thepe
pie of the whole South have for this
great man is something phenome-
nal. In this sprightly village it is
focused into hero-wOrship that is
spiced up by strong flavor of local
pride. His name is on every lip
his memory in every heart. The
deliberate opinion Of the town is
that if Jackson had lived the Con-
federacy would have been establish
ed. In his grave, then, more than
one love lies buried.
i had little difficulty in finding
Mrs. Jackson. "She is at de Inster-
stewk," suggested a tiny mannakin
who was summing himself on the cor
ner, supplementing his suggestion
with a course of directions that soon
brought me into the old-fashioned
porch of the Presbyterian school
house. | was ushered into Mrs.
JacksOn's sitting-room, and inform
ed that the lady would soon be in.
found pleasant occupation in study
ing portrait of the dead General
that hung above the mantel. 1t
was totally different from the pic
lures l had seen elsewhere. That
sternnesS and fiXedneSs of express
ion that we have been accustomed
to was gone. The face was kindly
and tender. The lips were half un-
closed with smile; the eyes were
gentle and engaging; the brow calm
and unclouded. As looked at it |
felt that | was studying a new side
of the great mans life. This was
the hOme-look of that hero who, so
stern and stubborn on the battle
field that he was called a fanatic,
was yet full of a flowing and oblig-
ing humanity.
Mrs. Jackson entered the room
while / was before the portrait. She
is a small, handsome woman, nota-
bly, young looking. Her manner is
frank, pleasant, and cordial, andwe
were very soon engaged in an earn
est conversation concerning her dis
tinguished husband.
"YOu must know that my hus-
band fell very much in love with
Mexico during his campaign there,
and had there been any sort of as
surance of a stable government in
that country he would certainly
have made it his home. In that
event he might have had no part in
the struggle between the States"
THE OUTBREAK OF THE WAR.
Mrs. Jackson took occasion to cor
rect a very general misapprehensiOn
as to her husbands position when
war was about to be declared. at
is said that he was in doubt" she
remarked, "as to whether his ale
glance was due the Union or his
State. / do not think that is true.
He deplOred the collision most earn
estly. He believed that patriotic
statesmanship might have averted
it. He loved the Union as only one
who had fought under the flag could
love it. He would have died to
have saved it in its purity and its
just relations. But he believed that
the constitutional rights of the States
had been invaded, and he never had
a doubt as to where his allegiance
was due. His sword belonged to
his State. He shuGidered at the APP
prOach of war. He prayed fervent-
" and perSistently that an amicable
adjustment might be reached. But
at the very first call he placed him.
self at the head of his Cadets and
marched to HaPper's Ferry, where
he witnessed the hanging of John
Brown. From that day until his
death he was never out of service
single hour. He would never take
fIrlough. Mr.. Jackson was no
strong believer in the system OF
slavery. He would never have
fought to preserve that institution.
He fought for the sovereignty OF
the States"
found the little lady In front Of
me, now thoroughly animated,
fully impressed with the belief that,
if Gen. jackson had lived, or if his
policy had been vigorously pursued,
the war might have had different
ending.
"NOthing was SO certain to him"
she said, "as that a prOtracted strug-
gle would wear the South out. He
believed that we had but one hope,
and that was to press the Federals
at every point, biindly, furiOusly,
madly. I'VE must frighten them,'
he used to say. He believed that
fatal mistake was made when our
people failed to take advantage OF
the Splendid victory Mt Manassas. l
think he saw a permanent triumph
Just beyond that battle, So thQF=
oughly was he impressed with the
importance of pushing ahead all the
time, and in the face of any Obsta-
Gle, that he was considered fanat-
ic. A separate command was denied
him for a good while and obtained
only by the persistent efforts OF Gov.
Letcher. Mr.. Davis, even, was
afraid to trust him with a separate
command. When he did get it he
violated all the accepted rules OF war
by refusing to go into winter quart
ers and forcing his men to such he
rOic work that thousands of them
deserted. 1t seemed impossible for
him to bring the government into
sympathy with his impetuous plan.
This failure saddened his letters tome
he, was continually appreheaslSe OF
the effect of the slightest delay. lie
said, "We must give them no time
to think. We must beWilder them
and keep them bewildered. Our
fighting must be sharp, impetuous,
continuous. We cannot stand along
war"
JACKSON AND LEE.
"He loved Gen. Lee and admired
him beyond measure. His only
fault is, that he is too Slow he
wrote me once. The dilatOry policy
oe C,o,, TnI,rCvOY, bD aOnCiiGTnG q