South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1889-06-21

brother .in.lsw Captain. who lat s
himself became q General, discus SO d
at length the war policy Of the Con :.
federscy. Already Jackson had seen
that the South could not stand hav-
ing the enemy's armies within her
territory. The mere invasion was
sapping the roots Of Confederate
supplies. He and Captain Barringer
conferred at length on the cavalry, its
merits, its disadvantages, and where
and how it could be best used. Gen.
Jackson announced his emphatic o.
pinion in that interview that the con.
tinuance Of the defensive policy
meant ultimate disaster and ruin.
Jackson's plan was, he said, To orga-
nize two, four or more interior camps
at the more important points in the
South, and use the best troops az
light, movable columns of not more
than forty or fifty thousand men
each. These should be made up of
the very best men, under the COM
mAnd Of the very pick of officers.
They should be lightly equipped and
prepared for long, quick marches.
These he would hurl against the enc
my as they invaded the Southern
territory, or use them to make rapid
invasions OF the North. He wonld
select the best and least protected
cities, fall upon them without notice,
levy contributions Oh them Of $50
600 to- $lc0,00c or more, as circum.
stances suggested, and destroy the
towns that refused the levy. When,
ever he should find the enemy press.
ing him IN the North, be would re-
treat and fight his way across the
line. 10 the meantime, however, an.
other of these light movable colu INNS
would be on the way to some other
unprotected city, perhaps 500 miles
away, which woul,t be levied on or
des troyed,
General Jackson went on to spec.
ify the States into which he would
send these lightly equipped columns.
lie named Pennsylvania, Ohio and
Bleeding Kansas, as points constant
ly exposed. 1t was his intention on
these invasions to take no prisoners
but high civil officers, whom he
would hold for ransom. His idea OF
taking no prisoners is ore that his
biographer DR.. Dabney. either was
not thoroughly familiar with or
which lie unintentionaliy failed to
ma Ike himself clear upon in his Life
of Jackson Gen. jackson, in that
into rview with Captain Barringer,
. oai1 IN n xuhiIa N uo.Il kaIy
of the rank and file prisoners, he
would parole them all at the point Of
the bayonet with the express under
standing that if ever taken again they
would be put to the sword without
trial.
AS regards the territory of the
South, Jackson said that his idea was
to abandon the less important poin, 8,
and to put the citizons upon their
guard that such would be the policy,
SO that they might be prepared for
It, Where necessary he would de.
fend. but bis general policy was to
strike terror in the Northern terrific
ry, and to locate The interior camps
50 that they could easiest obtain sup.
plies and protect tho important key
points of the South.
Whilst Gen. Lee agreed with Gen.
Jackson on the general idea of this
policy, the former said that circum.
stances might arise before plane for
its fruition could be set afioat tba,
would Decessitate prosecuting entirely
different plans Of campaign. Be.
sides, Gen. jackson said that Gen.
Lee knew that President Davis did
not share these views. The date of
the interview between Captain Bar
finger and Gen. Jackson was July
IA, 1862, after the victories around
Richmond, when Jackson thought
the Confederacy was in a desirable
condition TO make the changes OF pol
icy be had conceived, and which had
the sympathy OF Robert f. Lee.
Within few days after that, Pope
struck blow on the Orange ard AL
exandria Railroad. Jackson whip.
ped him at Cedar Run, and Pope re-
treated. Lee unfortunately invaded
Maryland with his whole army,
h'S'N'NuhO tba1 Leu hhi odOhSDu
both foresaw. The result was the
disaster at Sharpsburg. The whole
army was in the enemy's lines, where
they had no supplies. Under jack
sons plan of campaign, with Eight
movable columns this could not
b ave happened.
THE wisdom of Sionewall's idea
was again demonstrated with the dis
aster Of the following year, when the
hero Of Charlottesville lay dead aud
the Confederacy was in the ashes Of
sorI ow. Hooker had relreated after
the battle Of ChsncollorsvilleJ and Lee went
up Ia The Culpeper neghborhood. and was
there organizing an army while toe officers
were in aquandary ss to what would be the
next move Of the great chieftain. Pretty
soon the Union army began 70 hsnk LEES
army leaving open the way TO Maryland.
Immediately Oegan the invasion, When the
entire army was sgsin in the enemy's com.
try, and then following Gettysburg, pain
folly proving the ofneular wisdom OF Jack.
con, then dead. Both Of these invssions OF
Lee, eliminating in Sharpsbufg aud Get.
tysburg, were possibly necessities Of the
Circumstances, and the invasion that endet
at Sharpsburg was probably bad With Jack.
sons counsel, bat none the loss they remain
history proof Of the wonderful war Wisd ON
OF S,opewall JacktOn.'