South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1884-04-11

CinSO tuo Ctc0IOus
And l believed then. and believe
now, and always will believe, that ii
we had had Jackson with us at the
battle of Gettysburg, he would nave
flanked the enemy Off OF those heights
with his corps, If he had to take one
days rations and goarounj by Wash
ington city TO get there; he would
have found their rear if they had
any.
Gen. Jackson would order some
other General to hold some position
at all hazards. ard the Gen. would
reply that he was afraid he could not
hold it ifthe enemy would press him.
jackson wonld say you must hold it,
my men sometimes fail to drive the
enemy, but the enemy always tail to
drive my men, Shortly after he was
wounded and when the enemy was
rushing up fresh troops, Gen. Pender
said to him that his men were IL. such
confusion that he feared he would not
be able to hold his ground Gen.
Jackson replied; 'Gen. Fender you
must keep your men together aud
hold your ground
This was the last military order e.
yer given by Jackson. And the last
sentence he ever spoke was Let us
pass over the river and rest under the
shade OF the trees
Before his death he sent Gen. Lee
word that he had lost his left arm.
Gen. Lee replied that he Uee) had
los, his right arm in losing him.
After his death orders came to til G
'Stonewall brigade to be in readiness
to march to the house where Jackson
lay corpse and escort the procession
10 the II. X. dcpot,to be sent to Rich
mond.
The brigade rugged mp in the best
they had, cleaned their arms, and
were anxious to go, and kept waiting
impatiently until finally the order was
countermauded. and we did not get
to see him. We all thought very
hard of it, for we wished to show our
respect for our beloved 1mmander,
aud gaze on his face once moro: bat
that small privilege was denied US,
and his only escort was some doctors
and officials who never followed him
in battle, and the men who had follow
ed him from iIarper's Ferry to Chan
Gel! orsvilic, had to lay idle in camp.
Gen. Paxton commanding the Stone
wall brigade was killed at Chancell.
orsville and Gen. Walker, (who was
Col. Of the 18th Va.) was put in COM
mand. Gen. Trlmble, division COM
mander, being unfit for service by
sickness, Gen. Ell Johnson took
command OF the division; he always
carried big hickory club or cane,
hardly ever had his sword on, and
when he got mad he could work his
ears like q mule, 80 he had the name
in the army OF Chubby johnson.
Our army lay in camp near Ham
ilton's crossing, nothing Of interest
Transporting, except thorough rc-or.
ganizatiou of the troops. By getting
my manuscript mixed up, there was a
mistake made as to the time this re-
organic alton took place.
AS before stated 1t took place di-
rcctly after the seven days fight a.
round Richmond, but that was made
by the addition of two more divisions
to Jacksons corps. There were nine
divisions in the first and second corps
five in Longtreet's, and four in Jack
sons. and after Jackson death, about
the Goth of May 1868, the army wa 8
formed in three infantry corps, of three
divisions each. The first corps was
composed oflIood's Pickett's and Nc.
Laws, divisions, and commanded by
Con. Longstreet. The second was
Early's, Rho les AMI Johnson's, com
manded by Gen. Ewell. The third
was Anderson's, Pender's and IIeth' 5
divisions, commanded By Gen. A. T..
Hill.
The cavalry was formed in one
corps commanded by Gen. j. T.. b.
Stuart, and the artillery corps com
mandcd by Gen. Pendleton, Former
ly Capt of the Rockbridge artillery
the whole army commanded by Gen.
Il. Il. Lee.
The diitcren. divisions, brigales
and regiments, previous TO this time
had been scattered over different po..
ions Of Va. am had been called at
different times 'The army OF the Mon
ougahela, "rhe army Of the Potomac
and The army of the SHENANDOAH
but was now constituted and called
the army of Northern Va although
there were detachments sent away
sometimes to operate at d fferent
points. My division commanded by
Gen. Edyard Johnson, consisted Of
four brigades. all Virginians except
the 1st and third n. G. regiments in
the third brigade and fifth regiments
in the fourth brigade which we're
Louisianians The 2nd division was
composed o. Virginians, North Carol
inians and Louisiauians, command
ed by Gen Early, and the third di-