Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-10-22
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The Death Bed of Stonewall Jackson.

spun
death Mrs. Jackson informed him that his
recovery was very doubtful and it was
better that he should be prepared for the
worst.
He was silent for moment and then
said: sit will be an infinite gain to be
translated to heaven" He advised his
wife upon the event of his death, to return
to her fathers house, and added: ''You
have kind and good father, but there is
no one SO kind as your Heavenly Father"
He still expressed desire that be would
recover, but requested his wife in case he
should die, to have him buried in Lexing-
ton. in the Valley Of Virginia. His ex-
haustion increased SO rapidly that at II
O'Clock Mrs. Jackson knelt by his bed and
told him that before the sun went down
he would be with his Saviour.
| He replied: so, no! You are fright
| ened my child. Death is not SO near. 1
may yet get well.''
| She fell upon the bed weeping bitterly,
and again told him, amid her tears and
sobs. that the physicians declared that
there was no longer any hope for his re-
| coYery.
After moments pause he asked her to
call the family physician.
Doctor he said, as the physician en-
tered the room. Anna informs me that
you told her am to die. Is 1t sou"
| When he was answered in the afirma-
tive, he turned his sunken eyes toward
| the ceiling and gazed for moment as if
in intense thought, then looked at the
friends who stood about and said softly:
"Very good, very good; it is all right
Then turning to his wife he tried to
comfort her. He told her there was much
J he desired to tell her, but that he was too
weak for the undertaking.
Col. Pendleton came into the room
| about one o'clock. Gen. Jackson asked
him:
WHO is preaching at headquarters
to-day 2"
When told in reply that the whole army
was praying for him. he replied:
''Thank God they are very kind
Then he added, est is the Lords day; my
wish is fulfilled. I have always desired to
die on Sunday"
Slowly his mind began to fail and wander.
| and he frequently talked in his delirium
as if in command of his army on the field
of battle. He would give orders to his aids
in his old way, and then the scene was
changed. He was at the messtable in
conversation with members of his staff;
now with his wife and child; now at
prayers with his military family. Occa-
| sionally intervals of return of his mind
would appear, and during one of them the
physician offered the dying man some
brandy and water, but he declined it, say
ing:
ut would only delay my departure and
do no good; 1 want to preserve my mind
to the last, if possible. "
A few moments before the end arrived
the dying warrior cried out in his de-
lirium:
"Order A. P. Hill to prepare for ac-
ton - "Pass the infantry to the front
rapidlyl" ''Tell Major Hawks - :"
Then his voice was silent, and the SEN
tence remained unfinished.
An instant later smile Of ineffable
sweetness and purity spread itself over
his calm, pale face, and then looking up
ward, and slightly raising bis hands, he
said quietly, and witch an expression of
relief:
ssLet us pass over the river and rest un-
der the shade of trees"
And then without sign of struggle or
pain his spirit passed away.-Detroit Free
Press.