The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-02-22
JACKSON'S DEATH WOUND.

JACKSON'S DEATH WOUND.
How Old stonewal1 Met Ills Death on tn
Field of Charlottesville.
(By John Estcn Cooke)
On fire with his great design, Jackso,
then rode forward in front of the troop
toward Charlottesville, and here AM
then the bullet struck him which was Il
terminate his career.
Jackson had ridden forward on th
turnpike to reconnoitre and ascertain, i
possible, in spite of the darkness of th
night, the position of the Federal lines
The moon shone, but it was struggling
with bank of clouds, and afforded bu
a dim light. From the. gloomy thicket
on each side of the turnpike, looking
more weird and sombre in the half light
came the melancholy notes of the whip
poorwill. 4 think there must have beer
ten thousand, said General Stuart after
wards. Such was the scene and aiC
which the events which now are about
to be narrated took place.
Jackson had advanced with some mem
bers of his staff, about a mile from
Charlottesville, and had reached s
Ioint nearly opposite an old dismantled
house in the woods near the road, when
he reined in his horse, and remaining
perfectly quiet and motionless, listened
intently for any indications of a move.
ment in the Federal lines. They were
scarcely two hundred yards in front of
him, and seeing the danger to which he
exposed himself one of his staff officers
said, General, don't you think this is
the wrong place for you?' he replied
quickly, almost impatientlY, 'the danger
is all over! the enemy is srouted-go back
and tell A. P. Hill to press on! The
officer obeyed, but had scarcely disap-
peared when sudden volley was fired
from the Confederate Infantry in Jack
sons rear, and on the right Of the road
evidently directed upon him and his
escort. The origin of this fire has never
been discovered, and after Jackson's
death there was little disposition to in
vestigate an occurrence which otcasioned
bitter distress to all who by any posi-
bility could have taken part in it. Il is
probable, however, that some movement
of the Federal skirmishers had provoked
the fire; if this is an error, the troops
fred deliberately upon Jackson and his
party, under the impression that they
were body Of Federal cavalry recon-
noitering.
Whatever may have been the origin Of
this voley, it came, and many Of the
staff and escort were shot, and fell from
their horses. Jackson wheeled to the
left and galloped into the woods to get
out of range of the bullets; but he had
not gone twenty steps beyond the edge
of the turnpike, in the thicket, when one
of brigades drawn up within thirty yards
of him fred volley in their turn, kneel-
ing on the right knee, as the flash of the
guns showed, as though prepared to
guard against cavalry By this fire
jackson was wounded in three places.
He received one ball in his left arm, two
inches below the shoulder-joint, shatter
ing the bone and seyering the chief arte-
ry; a second passed through the same
arm between the elbow aud the wrist,
making its exit through the palm Of the
hand; and third ball entered the palm
of his right hand, about the middle, and
passing through, broke two Of the bones.
Here, Captain Wilbourn, of his staff,
succeeded in catching the reins and
checking the animal, who was almost
frantic from terror, at the moment when,
from loss of blood and exhaustion, Jack
son was about to fall from the saddle.
he was then borne to the field hos
pital at Wilderness, some five miles dis
tant.
Here he lay throughout the next day,
Sunday, listening to the thunder of the
artillery and the long roll of the mus
kerry from Charlottesville, where
Stuart, who had succeeded him in COM
mand, was pressing General Hooker
back toward the Rappahannock. His
soul must have thrilled at that sound,
long so familiar, but he could take no
part in the conflict. Lying faint and
pale, in tent in rear of the Wilderness
Tavern, he seemed to be perfectly re-
signed, and submitted to the painful
probing of his wound with soldierly pa
tieace. 1t was obviously necessary to
amputate the arm. and one of his SUR
geons asked, If we find the amputation
necessary, General, shall it be done at
once?' to which he replied with alacrity,
Yes, certainly, DR.. Mcclure, do for me
whatever you think right The arm was
then taken off, and he slept soundly
after the operation, and on waking, be-
gan to converse about the battle. 1t was
about this time that we received the fol-
lowing letter from General Lee: 4 have
just received your note informing me
that you were wounded. I cannot ex-
press my regret at the occurrence. Could
I have directed events I should have
chosen for the good OF the country to
have been disabled in your stead. [
congratulate you upon the victory which
is due to your skill and energy
The remaining details OF Jackson's i'll
ness and death are known. He was re-
moved to Guiney's Depot, on the Rich
mond and Fredericksburg Railroad,
where he gradually sank,. pneumonia
having attacked him. When told that
his men on Sunday had advanced upon
the enemy shouting Charge, and re-
member Jacdson!' he exclaimed, 1T was
just like them! it was just like them
They are noble body of men. The
men who live through this war, he
added, will be proud to say 4 was one
of the Stonewan Brigade to their chill
dren.' Looking soon afterwards at the
stump of his arm, he said, Many people
would regard this as great misfortune.
I regard it as one Of the great blessings
of my life. He subsequently said, L