The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-07-04
sToNEWYLL JACKsON,s WAY.
Prof. Dabney's Statement OF tho Views OF
jackson on the Conduct ofthe War.

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AUSTIN, June
15.-I was greatly pleased to learn that
Mrs. Anna Jackson proposes to give the
public a biography of her husband, Cen
eral T. J. Jackson. This estimate and
accomplished lady will doubtless give a
portraiture of that good mans private
character and life of the greatest cor.
rectnesH and value. We hope that her
readers will be numerous.
The Chronicle of Charlotte, N. O., in.
Inmates, on the authority of Gen. Rufus
Barringer, that one cause necessitating
another biography is the obscurity or
ignorance OF misconception ofmy life Of
Jackson upon two important points
General Jackson's preferred plan for the
war and his views concerning pris.
oners of war. To the Chronicle and to
the public have few words to say on
these two points.
During the Valley campaign and that
around Richmond, in 1862, I was Gen.
Jackson'a chief of staff. His prudent
reserve was noted ;; it was such that he
never disclosed anything of his own
military designs except the necessary
orders to his chief of staff, or even to
his Major General next in command,
and he was chary Of expressing TO-. them
his thoughts on the general conduct of
the war. Col. Alex. R. Boteler, an &C.
compliahed scholar and statesman and
honorary aid to the General, was the
foremost civic representative of the peo.
pie in Gen. Jackson's military district.
He seems to have employed him as such
occasionally as a medium of commune.
cation with the government. The state
ment of his views for the subsequent
campaign of 1862, chapter Is, Cedar
Mountain, was given on the express au.
thority of Col. 'Boteler, and, indeed,
almost in his words. I believe be is yet
alive and will attest his own facts. They
may be relied on as perfectly accurate
and intelligent as far as they go.
I was selected, not by myaelf-not hav-
ing taken up the faintest idea of such
an attempt-but by Gen. Jackson's fam.
lily to write his biography. I sought the
help Of all suitable documents which
the family possessed. ALI which were
allowed me L employed diligently and
faithfully. It scarcely need be said that
I vas not responsible for such as were
withheld.
General Barrirger shows that Jackson
Was thinking out, in addition to an i'm.
mediate threat upon Washington with
10000 men, permanent plan for the
future conduct of the war. The details
given are full of interest. I am forced
to believe that the types here played a
trick upon General Barringer in describ.
ing General Jackson as planning four
or more eight columns" of $4,000 men
each. General Jackson was certainly
aware that General Lees heaviest masses
would hardly exceed $4,000 men and
would usually be under that number, as
General Johnston's always we're. Such
being the real size of the two grand
armies of the Confederacy, four or more
slight columns" Of $4,000 men appear
entirely improbable; the numbers should
have been probably 5000.
Upon the other point-General Jack.
sons view of taking prisoners-he prob.
ably spoke as fully to me as to any one.
If I am asked why, then, did not ex-
plicate these views in the biography,
the simple answer is that General Jack.
son gave them to me in confidential
conversation, the privacy of which he
did not give me the right to disclose.
Now. that the Charlotte Chronicle asserts
the authority ofhis family for revealing
this point, may do so without impro.
priety.
On the 18th day of May, 1852, (be.
tween the battles of Mcdowell and Win.
chester,) I was riding alone with the
General along the Valley Of Messy
Greek, in Augusta County, to visit the
bivouac ofthe famous Twelfth Georgia
Regiment, in our front. he was, what
was rare with him, in the mood of con-
verse with me. Our thoughts travelled
naturally upon the prospect of our strug.
gle. Encouraged by him, I expressed
my own conclusions with the unreserve
(perhaps the indiscretion) of one of
those citizen.soldiers whom General
Jackson thought 80 we'll of. I said, that
the manner adopted by the Confederate
government for conducting the war
filled me with apprehensions. The gov.
ernment, dominated by the technicalities
of West Point, and Of professional SOL
diering, seemed to forget what WAS
needed in revolutionary war such as
ours. They were relying upon the rou.
tine methods, good for mercenary stand
ing armies, but inappropriate to our
circumstances. In this species of tactics
the enemy's superior numbers and riches,
backed by Europe, would in the end beat
us. The longer the catastrophe of the
war was delayed the more We should lose
of that splendid advantage ne now pos.
sessed in the martial spirit Of our gentry
and yeomanry, for mere drill carried to
completeness would replace their elan
that defensive war would be sure 10
wear us out and crush us in the end.
The supineness of the authorities in fail.
ing to reach out after the fruits ofour
victory at First Manassas had especially
discouraged me. I seemed to hear the
voice of history and of God at once de-
manding, in view of that fatal omission,
GLOW can ye escape who neglect SO great
salvation p fThis inaction at First