The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-06-29

| in- law captain, who later himself became general, discussed at length the war policy of the Confed- eracy. Already Jackson had seen that the south could not stand having the enemys armies within her territory. The mere invasion was sapping the roots of Confederate supplies. He and Captain Bar ringer conferred at length on the cavalry, its mer its, its disadvantages, and where and how 1t could be best used. General Jackson announced his em- phatic opinion in that interview that the continu- ance of the defensive policy meant ultimate disas ter and ruin. Jacksons plan was, he sAd to organ ize two, four more interior camps at the more important points in the south, and use the best troops light movable columns of not over 40 000 or 50 900 men each. These should be made up of the best men and under the command of the pick of officers. They should be lightly equipped and prepared for long, quick marches. These he would hurl against the enemy as they invaded the south ern territory use them to make rapid invasons of the north. He would select the best and least protected cities, fall upon them without notice levy contributions on them of $500000 to $l ,0O0,- 000 more circumstances suggested, and destroy the towns that refused the levy. Whenever he should find the enemy pressing him in the north he would retreat and fight his way across the line. In the meantime, however, one of these light movable columns would be on the way to some other protected city perhaps 500 miles away, which would be levied on or destroyed.
 "General Jackson went so far to specify the states into which he would send the lightly equipped columns. He named Pennsy lvana, Ohio and Indiana as constantly exposed points. It was his intention on these invasions to take pris- oners except high civil officials, whom he would hold for ransom. His idea of taking prisoners is one that his biographer, Mr. Dabney, either was not thoroughly familiar with or which he uninten- tionally failed to make himself clear upon in the Life of Jackson.' General Jackson, in that inter- view with Captain Barringer, said that while he would take no men of the rank and file prisoners, he would parole them all at the point of the bayo- net with the expressed understanding that if ever taken again they would be put to the sword with out trial
 "As regards the territory of the south, Jackson said that his idea to abandon the less important points and to put the citizens upon their guard that such would be the policy, they might be prepared for it. Where necessary he would defend but his general policy to strike terror in the northern territory and to locate tte interior camps so that they could easiest obtain supplies and pro- tect the important keypoints of the south.
 "Whilst General Lee agreed with General Jack son the general idea of this policy the former said that circumstances might arise before plans for its fruiton could be set afoat that would neces sitae prosecuting entirely different plans of cam- paign. Besides, General Jackson said General Lee knew that President Davis did not share these views The date of the interview between General Jackson and Captain Barringer was July fl, 1862, after the victories around Richmond, when Jack son thought the Confederscy in desirable condition to make the changes of policy which he had conceived, and which had the sympathy of Robert E. Lee. Within few days after that Pope struck a blow on the Orange Alexandria railroad Jackson whipped him at Cedar Run, and Pope retreated. General Lee, unfortunately, invaded Maryland with his whole army, a misfortune that both Jackson and Lee foresaw. The result was the disaster at Antietam. The whole army was in the enemy's lines where they had no supplies. Under Jackson's plan of campaign, with light movable columns of 50000 troops, this couldn't have hap pened.
 "The wisdom of StonewalPs idea was again dem- onstrated with the fatal disaster the following year, when the hero of Chancellorsville lay dead and the c, nfederacy in the ashes of sorrow. Hooker had retreated after the battle of Chance- lorsvie, and Lee went up in the Culpepper neigh the officers were in qusndary to what would be the next move of the great chieftain. Pretty soon the Union army began to flank Lees army,