The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1889-06-13

y
merits, its advantages, and where anG
how it could be best used. Genera
Jackson announced his emphatic opin.
ion in that interview that the continu
ance of the defensive policy meant
ultimate disaster and ruin. Jackson's
plan was, he said. to organize two
four or more interior camps at the
more important points in the South,
and use the best troops as light, NOV
able columns of not over forty or fifty
thousand men each. These must be
made up of the very best men, 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 Southern territory
or use them to make rapid invasions of
the North. He would select the best and
least protected cities, fall upon them
without notice, levy contributions on
them Of $50, 900 to 100000 or more, as
circumstances suggested, and destroy
tie towns that refused the levy. When
ever he should find the enemy press
ing him in the North he would retreat
and fight his way across the line In
the meantime, however, -cae of these
light movable columns would be on
the way to- some other unprotected
city, perhaps 500 miles away, which
would be LEVIED on or destroyed.
General Jackson went so far as to
specify the States into which he would
send the lightly equipped columns. He
named Pennsylvania, Ohio and Bleed
ing Kansas as constantly exposed
points. It was bis intention on these
invasious to take no prisoners except
high civil officials, whom he would
hold for ransom. His idea of taking
no prisoners is one that his biographer,
DR.. Dabney, either was not thoroughly
familiar with or WHICH he unintention-
ally failed to make himself clear upon
in the Life of Jackson General
Jackson, in that interview with Cap
tain 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 bayonet with the
expressed understanding that if ever
taken again they would be put to the
sword without trial.
HAs regards the territory of the South
Jackson said that his idea was to aban-
don the less important points, and to
put the citizens upon their guard that
suoh would be the policy, so that they
might be prepared for it. Where
necessary he would defend, but bis
general policy was to strike terror in
the Northern territory, and to locate
the interior camps so that they could
easiest obtain supplies and protect the
important key points Of the South.
whilst General Lee agreed with
General Jackson on the general idea of
this policy, the former said that cir
cumstances might arise before plans
for its fruition could be set afoat that
would necessitate prosecuting entire
ly different plans of campaign. Be
sides, 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 IA,
1862, after the victories around Rich
mond, when Jackson thought the Con-
federacy was in a desirable condition
to make the changes Of policy which
he had conceived, and which had the
sympathy of Robert E. Lee. Within
a few days after that Pope struck a
blow on the Orange and Alexandria
Railroad. Jackson whipped him at
Cedar Run, and Pope retreated. Gen
eral Lee unfortunately invaded Mary
land with his whole army, misfortune
that both Jackson and Lee foresaw.
The result was the disaster at Sharps-
burg. The whole army was in the
enemy's lines, where they had no sup
plies. Under Jackson's plan of cam
paign, with light movable columns of
fifty thousand troops, this could not
have happened.