The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-07-22
StOnewall JacksOn's Way.

An officer of the confederate army
tells the following story of a council of
war in which Stonewall Jackson took
part: On the night of the battle of
Fredericksburgh, when Burnside was
trying to get his army back to the Stat
ford side of the river over the one pom
toon bridge that was left, Lee called a
council of war. Jackson had been hold
ing position about three miles down
the river from Marye's Heights, where
the fiercest fighting had taken place,
but had moved his command up closer
late in the afternoon. The nj ght was
fearfully dark and drilling rain had
set in. Jackson came into the council,
saluted the officers present, and took
seat off in corner. General Lee stated
the purpose for which the council had
been called, and asked one of the senior
officers for his opinion: and then an
other, until all had spoken save Stone
wall. Lee then turned and asked his
opinion, but received no response. All
turned to hear what he would say, and
there sat Jackson bolt upright in his
chair, fast asleep. " Why, bless me-"
said Lee, "the old fellow is fast asleep"
and going to him, he shook his arm and
called his name, which awakened him.
g General Jackson, will you give us
your opinion as to what should be
done?" g Gentlemen" he said, 81
am sorry that | have not heard all that
has been said, but my plan is, if the
council will agree to it, to 90 back to
my corps and march it into Freder-
icksburgh at once. The enemy has met
with severe reverse, and it is in all
probability demoralized. They have
only one bridge over which to escape.
One corps is sufficient to do this work
to destroy what remains of that army
on this side of the river, and that being
done the campaign will be over. - But,
general" said Lee, " consider the fact
that those men have only the one bridge
over which to escape; they will fight
desperately" What if they do? Ny
corps is accustomed to desperate fight
ing. But the very fact that they have
only one avenue of escape, in their de-
moralized condition, will cause them to
make every effort to use the bridge.
They will not fight so desperately as
you think % But consider the dark
ness of the night Your men will not
be able to distinguish their own com
rades." 6 have thought of all that.
| will make my men pull their shirt
tails out and march in; they will know
one another then" General Lee walked
back and forth for some time, deeply
engaged in thought. Finally he said:
General Jackson, l cannot agree to
your proposition; the slaughter would
be horrible, and my conscience cannot
approve of it," " My conscience APP
proves of it thoroughly said Jackson.
" War is war; the slaughter to-day has
been horrible, and would have been
worse had the enemy gained those
heights. The enemy is in trap and
we should take advantage of it. If the
tables were turned they would march
in on US" g And at this very time"
said Union officer to me last April,
" we were getting out of that place as
fast as men could be got over one
bridge. We were looking every minute
for the confederate troops to rush in
upon us; and if they had done so we
we would have been utterly ruined.
Pope's army, when Jackson got behind
him, was at picnic compared to our
situation that night" And when / told
him of Jackson's plan for enabling his
troops to know their comrades, he said:
" Fabius MaXimus is the only other
man who ever lived who would have
thought of such thing, and his sol
diers didn't have the materials"