The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-01-03

time, wish here to personally explain that il
was wholly accidental that happened to be in
Fredericksburg, hunting up the long-lost Geno
Ia May last. 1T was my privilege to have made
many agreeable acquaintance among the ex'
Confederates during this visit In company
with Capt. Lal TalafeTro (of the family wei
known as one of the oldest of +. f. VS. as
guide I drove to the Charlottesville battle.
field Oh the same day that had been designated
by the Historical Society for their committee e
meet there to discuss, to measure and TO locate
the spot for the monument which was TO snow
for all time the place where Nirginias favor
lite son received his mortal wound.
This committee was composed Of such emil
nent x-Confederates as Rev. DIR. James Power
Smith, who contributed the interesting article
70 the Century war papers, the title of which
from his pen, IN the light of subsequent events
seems significant" Jackson's Last Battle,
1t viii be remembered that Dr. Smith wa;
one of JaCksons fayorite Aids and helped
to carry his wounded chief from the field
MAJ. Lacey, the former owner Of the historic
Lacey House, who was an intimate associate OF
both Jackson and Lee, and whose brother was
Jackson's Chaplain and with him In his last
hours. Maj. Lacey also contributed to the
Century war papers He is wealthy, and the
present owner Of the Chancellor farm, and
IS considered an authority on the question
the committee, IS a son of the original owner
of the estate, and served in the Confederate
cavalry service. He was raised on this farm,
and is, Of course, thoroughly familiar with the
topography Of the country.
The statement printed in THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE Of Aug. ,, 1855, was volunteered to
me by Maj Lacey during this visit. l regret
very much that / am not at liberty to publish
the names of other gentlemen as my authority.
During a stay Of some six weeks in the neigh
boTh00d Of Fredericksburg l came IN pleasant
contact with a number of ex-ContGderates. !
took frequent occasion to breach the subject,
ana nearly all tended to c0TTObOrate Maj,
Laceg's statement as TO the shots coming from
the Federal troops The testimony of the Con-
fcdeTates might be summed up, in the tewest
words, to this effect: ." No one can tell who fired
tally, I have always believed your men killed
Jackson; but / would not, for the world, have
any one know said so TO you"
There are many, Of course, who doggedly in
sist that jackson was killed by the North
Car0linians, because lie ordered them to fire on
any one who came liz their front, he knowing
that he was at this time deliberately placing
his own person between the two fires. The
significant thing about the investigation of the
manner Of Jaekson's death is that with siugu-
lar unauimity,. the intelligent Coniederates
avoid the discussion of the question with stran-
gers.
This ovcr-cautious planner impressed itself SC
strikingly on my mind that it served to arouse
my curiosity, and / began to wonder what
there might be to conceal about the death of 8
great General.
UNCLE JACK HAYDEN, THE GUIDE.
Perhaps one of the most popular citizens OF
Spotisylvania County IS Mr.. John Hayden
familiarly known as Uncle Jack" He is q
10 ~ al "
hearty welcome 10 Federal visitors to Freder-
icksburg has endeared him to many of the
Yankees, IS he still calls everybody who halls
from the North. lie is one Of the most valuable
and important witnesses in the discussion OF
war matters in this vicinity, because it was on
his farm that our army crossed the river.
lis name has not heretofore appeared in any
o. the histories Of the war, but 1t is doubtful Il
any one person, not even Jackson or Lee, bore
movement that brought about our defeat al
Charlottesville as did Uncle Jack. he was
Jackson's guide, as well as the trusted pilot Of
Gen. Lee.
De was born and raised on tie farm located
on the SpottsylYani2 side of the ford, and, as he
says. When a boy we hunted deer in the
woods, and of course l know every hog-path
in the country" He is one of the old-fashion-
ed, honest speaking men, whose blunt, plain
words would tell before a jury.
When l told him l thought it was all his
fault that We were whipped at Charlottesville
because he showed Jackson in the back way
and that he ought to be hung yet, he slapped
ms OF the back, spread his legs protruded his
bsy-window belly, and said:
i did the best 1 conld, san"
When threatened to put him in the papers a.
the man who stampeded the Eleventh Corps anC
killed so many Yankees he said, with EN-.
phasis:
Z" l never killed nary one, but viii kill Oh,
# yen tell any Yankee lies on me-"
Uncle Jack says Of the battle Of Chancellors
vile:
Gen. Jackson sent for me that morning, and
when ] went 10 his tent he was of some place
but had left orders for me to wait. The littlt
man never forgot his engagements"
Was Jackson little? l always thought
I him q tall, lank man."
Well, the Yankees all thought he was ;
/ giant, but he was no bigger than you; and yor
are a mighty tri1ing Yankee, too Well, wher
! l saw the General he was all dressed up il
! full uniform. have seen Gen. jackson often
/ and he was about as common looking man a
/ you are. / never before saw him wear a dress
uniform, and / thought il mighty queer. Well
he tod me that he wanted me to watch tina
road by the ford, and to be sure and report t,
him II the enemy made an appearance at
Z certain point. he asked me how many cav
airy 7 wanted. told him one or two mel
I would do
a. No. he says; I want you to send two mes
! sengers-Or cOuriers, as he called them-ever,
hour TO report 10 me. Let one follow the other
( to make sure Of getting to me. 1 win give vol
1 II mounted men; and he did, and they wer
subject 10 my orders.
THE WARNING.
After the General had finished talking {
me ! turned to come away, but l thought it S
/ queer about his being all dressed up that way
and said to him in familiar, plain way-some
thing never would have thought of doing
/ / hadn't seen him IN that dress; ne was Jus
getting on his horse, and had one foot in tn
stirrup' when 1 called to him, and he put hi
foot down and turned TO me, expecting / ha
something important to say, l reckon; but
only said to him:
Gen Jackson, you have given me my OF
ders, and now am going to give you yours.
O. he looked at me, but ! was bound to &
ahead, and said to him:
&" General, you must take care of yourself
" lie reached ont his hand aud thanked me-
and IN a moment more was on his horse an
rode of, and l never saw him again. I AWAY
thought he knew he was going to die then"
Mr.. Hayden IS q man of unimpeachable char
acter, who is easily accessible to the visitor /
Fredericksburg, who viii confirm this story
and perhaps give further interesting inf0rma
ton about Jacks0n's last battle.
! may be permitted TO digress here, to yer
ture Union scouts observation, that to th
Confederate scouts aud guides is due much {
Fta agfg.~ 9 Nsg4fr 1 I