The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-10-10

.Anlletalll. ABOUT tcll DAYS after
that battle it first appeared in
print in the columns Of the
baltimore RepuLiic"", (by the
author), headed Found Oh tie
Body of a Sergeant of the Old
StoncwaII brigade, Killed at
Winchester" The original copy
had dropped from hlS pocket III
the heart of the Federal en-
campmeut at Antietain, he be
ing then Il special correspondent
Of a Northern journal.
Taken from the RcP"bleca",
the song was at once set to music,
and published simultaneously
hv two music dealers III Baltl-
more, but with different airs.
The one to which it was popu-
Iarly sung throughout Virginia,
and especially in the Confederate
army IN the valley, was compos-
al by young Frederick Bentee,
"a remarkable musical genius,
whose early death was not only
Il private but Il public loss. The
~vmpathizers of Baltimore
caught the tune as eagerly as
they had that of My Mary
Iaud;' but their enthusiasm met
with Il rude check at the hands
OF the reigming provost marshal,
who seized and burned the
sheets, destroyed the plates, and
c~autcrized the wound inflicted
upon loyal hearts by applying a
rcd-hot oath Of allegiance to
several Of the music sellers of
the city.
In every printed collection of
the poems and songs of the war
this one has been awarded Il
prominent place, and almost
every compiler has sought for
information concerning its ORR
gin and authorship. At one
time the title of the song was
used as Il handy newspaper
phrase to describe the character
i~tic exploits of It's hero; and
Stonewall Jackson's Way ap-
p,ared at the head of reports
aud editorials in the Southern
press.
AS an example of the interest
1T aroused, we may mention that
DR.. Oliver Wendell Holmes, in
his lively lecture ON the Songs
of the War;" spoke of Stone
wall Jackson's Way" as by far
the lest song that had come
from the reLel side, Another
writer cites it as Il fine example
of the true and stirring ballad,
comparing it with Whit,ier's
well known Barbara Frietchie."
\ leading New York journal
once characterized it as "a bal
lad that will live as long as the
war is remembered ;" and Put
"om's N0nthLy has twice pointed
10 it as a genuine inspiration.
Nor has its fame been confined
20 this country. a literary no.
5Icman Of England wrote to
all American poet requesting
him to procure, if possible, an
autograph copy of the song.
But the song had already
gone through "the lines" 1t
was reprinted In Richmond,
and gaily sung by every woman
and child in the valley of Nir-
ginia, especially by the admirers
of Gen. Jeb. Stuart, with whom
1t was a tavorite duty. Once the
author in passing alone and by
night from Gen. breckenridge
army Chen lying near Wood
stock to Richmond, was arrested
at Gordonsville as a Federal
spy, and while guarded by two
sentries in the public room of
an inn, was recognized by a
stranger a IS 1.-The man who wrote
'Stonewall Jackson's Way"
In every place it has appeared
anonymously, except III Miss
Mason's compilation, published
IN Baltimore. By her it is erro-
neously ascribed to one "De
Rlyiere.' OF course its text, by
frequent re-printing, has suffered
much damage at the hands oil
The printers proof-readers. With
The exception of the original