Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1879-05-22
ALOsT LEAF.
From the Life of StOnewall jack
son--HOw He Thrashed a West
Point BoOby.

There is a lost leaf or unwrit-
ten page of the life of Stonewalf
Jackson which it is the purpose
of this paper to supply.
The "Old jackson house and
mills" situated on the west
fork Of the Monongalia river,
four miles north of Weston,
where Stoncwall Jackson lived
and worked and then so little
known TO the outside world,
have, by association with his
name, become historic.
Cummins f. Jackson, the
uncle Of Stonewall, and owner
of the houses, mills and adjoin-
ing farm, took him after the
death of his father, Jonathan
jackson, when about twelve
years of age, to live with him,
who taught him to work i'll the
mills and on the farm.
Thomas Jackson, titled in
the conflict of arms "Stonewall
Jackson" who was well known
to the writer, was a youth of
exemplary habits, of a melan-
choly temperament, of indomi-
table will and undoubted cour-
age. He possessed an eminent
degree oftalent for mathematics,
and was unwilling while at
school to acknowledge his in
capacity, "give him time" to
solve any proposition.
He was by no means what is
nowadays termed brilliant, but
was one of those untiring, plain,
matter-of-fact persons who
would never give up when he
was engaged in an undertaking
uutiI he accomplished his object.
He learned slowly, but when
he got learning in his head he
never forgot it. He was not
quick to decide, except when
excited, and then when he made
up his mind to do a thing he
did it on short notice and in
quick time. AS an evidence Of
his most extraordinary decision
of purpose, a Mr.. Mills taught
school in the neighborhood. He
was a pupil, and while on the
way to school all overgrown rus
tic behaved rudely toward two
of the school girls. He was fir
ed at his cowardly conduct, and
told HIM he must apologize to
them at once, or he would thrash
him. The big rustic, supposlng
he was an overmatch for him,
declined to do SO; whereupon
he pitched into him and gave
him a severe pounding.
When the vacancy occurred
in the cadetship to West Point
from this congressional district,
by the failure of the appointee
to report himself at the acade-
my, he decided to try for the
place, and left here near sun
down on horseback, three hum
dred miles from Washington,
poorly clad and lily qualified, to
see Judge Spencer, the Sccreta-
ry Of War, and ask him for the
position. Arrived in Washing
ton, he went straightway to the
War Department, and the par
ley which took place between
the Secretary and him, said an
eyewitness, l"was gruff heroic"
Young jackson had sand in his
craw-some of the grit of "Old
Hickory and would neither
be bluffed nor driven from his
purpose. The Secretary was
much aggrieved about that time
on accouat of the execution of
his son con the high seas" by
order of Commodore Mckenzie,
and consequently was not much
in a giving humor. lie claim
ed that the appointment should
be given to the son Of some sol
dier or4seaman who had lost his
life in the service Of his country.
Young jackson was an orphan
and a descendant Of the early set
tiers and Indian fighters of
Northwest Virginia, and eonse-
quently had but little difficulty
in overcoming his objections to
his appointment.
The Secretary OF War, IN CIV
ing him the place, said: "Sir,
you have a good name. Go to
West Point, and the first one
who insults you knock him
down and have it charged to
my account!" lie obeyed his
orders, and although green, raw
and scedy, and a good subject
for the cadets t'to put through,
he decided to 60 through him-
self, or die in the effort.
AS is usual, the boys soon be-
gan to lay their plans to intro
duce him into what was then
known as the mysteries of a
West Pointer, and so unbeara-
BILE did their conduct become
that he was forced, out of self
respect, to give the officer charg-
ed with the performance of that
duty fearful bruising. The
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