Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-01-09
MARTINsBURG, WEST Va, |
November "a 1879.

MARTINSBURGt WEST VA,
November "a, 1879.
I received yesterday your favor of the
goth instant informing me that you are
preparing for future publication your
"reminiscences Of General Thomas J.
Jackson, of the late Confederate army.
am pleased to hear that fact, as you
had excellent opportunities of studying
the character and qualities of that re-
markable man; and I have no doubt
your sketches of his life and the person
at anecdotes you propose to introduce
will present all interesting volume to
the public.
You ask me to furnish you with my
impressions of the character of General
Jackson. I have every disposition to
comply with your wishes, and only re-
gret that the pressure of my engage
ments at this time must necessarily lim-
it my views of his character to a few
brief and imperfect sketches.
You wish me to give you any facts
that may be within my knowledge
touching his boyhood and early history.
It is true, as you state, that he was a
West Virginian by birth; but reside
little in the two cOunties-Lewis and
IL
life.
I was in Lewis county in June, 1875,
upon visit to our State institution, the
l1natic asylum-the only occasion in
which I ever was in that tcounty-when
I heard an anecdote of his early life
which, in my judgment, does him as
much honor as any one of his most bril-.
liant victories. He was an orphan with
out father or mother, and very poor. 1t
occurred to some of his friends that they
would give him employment by confer
ring upon him the office of constable
The County Court chimed in with the
friendly proposal, and at the age of six
teen Thomas J. Jackson was q constable
of the county OF Lewis, with his Uncle
Cummings Jackson as his security. The
first execution that came into his hands
was against widow woman living some
twelve miles from the courthouse, and
who was supposed to be possessed ol
some cattle. Jackson summoned Char
| Ley Post, from from derived this part
of the anecdote, to accompany him and
| to assist him in driving away the cattle
which he proposed to levy upon. When
| be arrived there he found that the old
woman had but one COW. the principal
means Of her support. So soon as he
ascertained this fact he turned to his
companion and said. "Charley, I will
not levy this execution upon that poor
woman's COW; as poor as am would
rather work night and day and pay the
debt myself" Upon that he left there
and stated the facts to his uncle, his Sc.
curity in his official bond. He listened
to his narrative, and then said: 'Ton,
l see you were never born to be a con
stable, my boy resign your office al
once, and will pay the execution"
don't know how this simple anecdots
| which I derived from the man who
was present, and acting with him in tbs
transaction, may affect Others but in my
opinion it was sufficient to show thai
Jackson, even at that early period OF hl!
uneducated life, possessed all the ele
ments Of 9 noble nature, such as gave
promise that if favored by future cir
cunlstances was destined to make a mar
of him in this world.
And such circumstances did very sooI
favor him; for in few weeks thereaf
ter Gideon J. Butcher, now a respecta
BILE citizen of that county, received the
appointment of cadet at the military
academy of West Point. He declined
the appointment. Young jackson learn
ing tEat fact, started off f9r Washington
in the rough country attire of that day
and made SUCH an impression on tp'
Secretary Of War by his manly bearing
intelligence, and force of character, tina