Stevens County tribune., 1880-01-15
sroNEwALL JACksoN's DEATH.
BY PAUL M. RussKLL.

The lightning flashed across the heaven, the dis
tant thunder rolled,
And, swayed y gusts Of angry winds, the far-on
church bell tolled;
The Dllows crashed against the rocks that kiss the
oceans foam.
And eager pilots trimmed their sails and turned
their skifS for home.
Az darkness fell across the earth, and we were
gathered round
Our blazing hearth, and listening to the stOrmH
terrific sound.
We all looked UP to Uncle Tom, who sat beside the
fire,
Adreamtng of the by-gons days and Of disaster
dire;
For mem'ry brought him back again to times of
darkest VICE.
When strong in hand and light in heart he fought
He often spoke of 46-the Hght on Mexic plain,
How Buena Vista heights were reached while bull
lets fell like rain;
How Shields had gained chepultspsc, how Santa
anna fed,
And how the sisters laborsd where the bullets
sped;
And oft he spoke of later times but always with
sigh,
When South and North rose up en- masss to fight
for cause OF die.
And beside the fire he sat and pipsd his neer-
schaum well,
We asked. TO pass the time away, that he tale
would tell.
He paused moment, then he laid his good old
pipe aside,
Aud said, IN tell you, boys, tonight how Stone
wall Jackson died.
"we wore retrea1ng from the foe, for Frsdericks-
burg was lost,
And on our flank sdu threatening, appeared the
Union host
Down by the Rappahannock, in our dismal tents we
lay,
And the ightest heart was heavy with our grave
defeat that day;
For It's It's better for soldier like Montgomery to
Than live to see his comrades from hated foeman
fy.
But reyerses often come upon defenders of the
And justice seldom oonQuers, boys, when nations
go to fight
you, not to sleep,
Nor did we turn aside to sigh, or turn aside to
weep.
But as we pondsred Ger our grtsfs sudden mean
heard,
Far lou0er than the willows moan, when by the
wind 'tis stirred.
1T woke the camp from reveris, 1t woke the camp
to fear;
Ard louder, louder grew the wall, most dreadful
And nearer came the weeping crowd, and something
stiff and still
Was borne, we knew not what it was, but followed
with a will.
At last within our asaral1 tent the precious load
was laid,
And then q pallid soldier turned unto as all and
said:
! We thought 1t hard, my comrades brave, to lose
the field to-day;
But harder will our labor be to struggle In the
fray;
For he is gone, our gallant chist, who could our
hopes re store,
And rout and ruin is our fate, since stonswan Is
more
For words are weak to tell tale when grief has
| mastered men:
Eut this know, pulled the cloth from of brave
| Jackson's face,
And almost jumped with Joy to see him gaze around
| the place.
~Eut boys, it was neeung dream, vacant stare
he cast;
He dtd not see the canvas shaken by the sudden
| blast;
lie did not see us weeping as we stanched the flow.
Rus, again in battle nghting he was where the foe
| men stood.
~OTder 6en'ral Hill to action loud he cried as ht
was wont:
and thea he quickly added: Bring the infantry
| to 'front.'
| As be the corps pass by him-as 1t were
| IA duty's call.
| Suddenly he shouted: Drive them-charge upoI
them, one and ALL
"Then he turned aside, and smiling said, with voiO
| of one in ease:
t'Let the foaminS river; let us rest be
| meath the trees.'
| Then waited, boys, and watched him. but N
| other word he said;
| For a3own the foaming river had our leader
spirit sped"
! I*Jackson's last words were ~Iet us cross owe
the river and rest under the shade Of the trees"l
| ABINGDON Mass.