The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-03-15
Reminiscences of stonewau Jack
son.

that "a new concerning the military oPe-
rat;ons which he describes, andIthe value
and interest of his article is in the Gimp
SEES it gives of Jackson, who was without
dopbt ore of the most peculiar and in
teresting figures which the war between
the totes brought into view. Gen. Tay- /
lor saw Jackson for the first time in May,
1862 This is his description of the meet
ing;
"a figure, perched on the tOpmost |
rail of a fence, overlooking the road
and field, was pointed out as Jackson.
Approsching, 1 saluted and declared
NV name and rank then waited for
rasponse. Before this came, l
had time to see a pair of cavalry boots
covering feet of gigantic size, NANCY
can with visor drawn low, heavy dark
beard and weary eyes-eyes | afterward
saw filed with intense but never brilliant
light. A low, gentle voice inquired the
distance and road marched that day.
c.ssix and twenty miles-Keazletown
road.
'.'You seem to have no stragglers?'
s''Never allow stragglers.'
es'You must teach my people. They
straggle badly
i bow in reply. Just then my creOles
ssarted their band and a waltz. Afer
a contemplative suck at 4 lemon:
'Thoughtless fellows for serious work
came forth. 1 expressed hope that
the work would not be less well done
because of the gayety. a return TO
the lemon gave me an opportunity to
retire. Where jackson got his lemons
no fellow could find out but he was
rarely without one. To live twelve
miles from that fruit would have dis
turbed him as much as it would the witty
dean. Quite late that night Gen. Jack
son came to my camp Ere where he re-
manned some hours. He said he would
move at dawn, asked a few questions
about the marching of my men, which
seemed to have impressed him, and then
remained silent. If silence was golden,
he wac bonanza He sucked lemon,
ste hard tack and drank water, and, l
imagine, his idea of the whole duty OF
man was--praying and fighting.
OF Jackson's inability to understand
anything like jest, General Taylor soon
had an Illustration. The night before the
entry into Winchester, Jackson and
Taylor were together under desultory
fire. Gen. Taylor says:
An officer, riding hard, overlook us,
who proved to be the quartermsster of
the army. He reported the wagon trains
far behind, impeded by bad road in Luz
ray Valley.
The ammunition wagons? (sternly.)
"'All right, SIT. They were in ad-
vance, and doubled teams On them aud
brought them through
s. ZAP Gin tone of relief.)
40 give countenance to this quarter
master, if such can he gwen of dark
night, Remarked loosely: "Never mind
the wagons. There are quantities of
stores in Winchester, and the General
has invited us 20 breakfast to morrow
jackson, who had no more capacity
for Jokes than a Scotchman, took this
seriously, and reached cut and touched
me on the arm. In fact, he was OF
Scoteh-Irish descent, and his uncon>
sciouness of jokes was 'de race Without
physical wants himself, he never
remembered that others were differently
cultivated, and paid little heed to the
commissariat; but woe to the man who
failed to bring up ammunition In
advance, his trains were left far behind
in retreat, he would fight for wheel
barrow"
JachOn's puritanism appears not to
have been of a very aggressive type. His
conscience was not an Extensively vica,
rious one, as appears frow the following
anecdote:
We reached the shallow depression
spoken of where the enemy could depress
his guns, and his fire became close and
fatal. Many men fell, and the whistling
of shot and shell occasioned much duck
ing of heads in the column This an
noyed me not little, as it was but
child's play to the work Immediately in
hand. Always an admirer of delightful
Uncle Toby, 1 had contracted the most
Villianous habit of his beloved army in
Flanders, and, forgetful of Jackson's
presence, ripped out, What the HI are
you lodging for? If there is any more
of it, you will he halted under this fire
for an hnur!' Tbs sharp tones of
amlllsr voice produced the desired effect, /
and the men looked as if they had swal-
lowed ramrods; but shall never forget /
the look of reproachful surprise on Jack
sons face. He placed his hand on my 4
shoulder, and said, in gentle voice: Il /
am afraid you are a wicked fellow then
turned and rode back to the picket"
vi Jsckson's overmastering ambition
Gen Taylor says:
p" have written that he was ambitious
and his ambition was vast, all~absorbing.
AS the unhappy wretch from whose
shoulders sprang the foul serpent-he
ioathed it, perhaps feared it, but he could
not escape it, it was himself; nor rend it,
nor rend tit was his own flesh He
fought it with prayer, constant and ear
nest-ApolIyon and Christian in cease
less combat. What limit to set to his
ability | know not, for he was ever SUI
perior to occasion. Under ordinary cir
cumstances it was difficult to estimate
him because of his peculiarities; pecu-
liarities that would have made lesser
man absurd, but that served to enhance
his martial fame, as those of Samuel
Johnson his literary eminence."
EngIand's Army and Naval
Strength.