Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-24
THE sHIRT-TAIL IN WAR.
How StOnewall jackson Proposed to
Mark HIS Men in a Night Attack.
From t1e L0nisgille Courier J0urnaz.

From the louisville Courier Journal.
On the night of the battle of Frederieks-
burg, when Burnside was trying to get
his army back to the Stafford side of the
river over the one pOntOOn bridge that
was feft, Lee called a council of war.
Jackson had been holding position some
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 night
was fearfully dark, and a drizzling rain
had set in. Jackson came into the coun-
ell, saluted the officers present, and took a
scat Off in corner. Gen. Lee stated the
purpose for which the council had been
called, and asked one of the senior officers
for his opinion; and then another, and 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.
''Whv, bless me,o said Lee, "the old
fellow is asleep" and going to him he
shook his arm and called his name, which
awakened him. "Gen. Jackson, will you
give us your opinion as 10 what should be
done 2"
"Gentlemen," he said, 81 am sorry that
] have not heard all that has been said;
but my plans is, if the council will agree
10 1t, to 90 back TO my corps and march it
into Fredericksburg ut once. The enemy
has met with a severe reverse, and 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 viii be over"
"But, General" said Lee, "consider the
fact that those men have only the one
bridge over which 10 escape; they will
night desperately"
what if they do? My corps is accus-
toned TO desperate fighting. But the very
hct that they have only one avenue Of es-
cape, in their demoralized condition, will
cause them 10 make every effort to use
The bridge. They will rot fight 80 dcsper-
alely as you think"
"But consider the darkness Of the night.
our men will not be able TO distinguish
Their own comrades"
II have thought Of all that. / will
make my men pull their shirt-tails out
ana march in; they Will know one another
them"
Glen. Lee walked back and forth for
some time, deeply engaged in thought.
Finally he said
Gen. jackson, / can not agree 70 your
proposition; the laughter would be horri-
bic, ana my conscience can not approve
Of it,
My conscience approves Of IL thor
onghly." said Jackson. i"War IL war; the
slaughter to-day has been horrible, and
would have been worse had the enemy
coined those heights. The enemy Is In q
rap, aud We should take advantage Of 10.
u the tables were turned they would
march IN on MS"
And at this very time," said Union
officer 20 me last April, "we were getting
out of that place AZ fast as men could be
got over one bridge. We were looking
every minute for the Confederate troops
TO rush In upon US, and II they had done
30 we would have been utterly ruined.
ropes army, when Jackson got behind
NM was DO 3 picnic c0mnared V our 1lo-