Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1890-02-18
IFrom Az Bnltimorenn.l-

LEXINGTON, VA. january go, 1880.
Eds. Bduimorean:-To-da stood with head
uncovered at the grave of the grandest, great
est, noblest man l ever knew. short walk
up the main street brings us to the cemetery
then as we pass through little gate we find a
well-worn path leading to the lot, where a
plain graye-stOue has upon 1t Gen. T. j. Jack
son. That is all, no words to tell of the un-
dying glory of his life no tall marble shaft sug-
gestive of his greatness. and as stood there
the thought came to me that stonewall jack
son needs no monument. In our land his
memory lives in loving hearts, and tho stu
dent of history will. as ho reads the plain in
scriptiou be reminded of his noble life.
Napolionic in his military tactics, in his
quickuess and in the faculty he possessed of
attracting aud holding men, he was greater
than the man who is not christian. Napo-
leon was great on the battlefield, great at the
head of his army, but at home he was an i'm
moral man, cruel, cold-heartcd man.
Gen. jackson great in planning, great on
tho battlefield, prayed as he fought and fight
ing as hePrayed, was greater still as the hum
bic teacher ofa class in the Sunday School in
this little Virginia town.
Napolean worshipped Napoleon.
Gen. Jackson worshtpped God.
Napoleon was a fataliet
Gen. jackson was Christian.
Show me how man lives; show me how a
man dies.
Napoleon. dying in exile, was in his death
delirious. Once moro on the field of battle, to
| his dying ears there canetHe sohnd OF the ear.
piercing fife, the soul-stirring drum; he saw
the royal banner around him the old guard
stood; he heard the rattle of. the muskctry. the
rush of the On-coming cavalry, the groans of
the vanquisbed and dying, and cried, .The
head of the army"
Gen. jackson after days of suffering, borne
with Christian fortitude, when he came
down to the brink of the valley of the shadow
of death feared no evil, and as his feet touched
the cold waters, his thoughts went back to
the men who followed him, and loved him.
| Looking back he saw a long line of tired, rag
ged. hungry heroes in grey, standing on the
bank of the river. and on the other side he
saw the sweet fields of living green the foun-
tains of pure water, the tree of life, and think
ing of his men. he said: Let us cross over the
river and rest beneath the shade of the trees, y
and crossing over he found eternal rest.
He honored the earth by living on it. and
the story of his life cannot be told too often
Turning away from the grave of jackson, ]
walked over the hill to, the tomb of General
Lee. found the chapel locked. but hunted
up Tom Hughes, the colored ianitor, and we
entered together the chapel, and went back
into the room where the rccumbent figure OF
Lee, by Valentine, marks the resting place ol
this great general. 1t is wonderful piece oi
work, perfect likeness, and the noble figure
rests in such an easy position that inYolun-
tarily the question comes, 'sIIe is not dead. he
sleeps" Then 1 went down into the Generate
office, where everything remain. untouched
| just as the General left it.
Tom Hughes, the colored janitor, is an old
| Virginia servant. all of .tye olden time" As
we stood together by the tomb, he said in rev.
erent aud awed tones: 81 have put that foot in
the stirrup thousand times, sir" He was q
kind man, sir; remember one day we was rid
ing along and four soldiers passed us they
was barefoot, sir, and Masse Robert called
them and said, Gentlemen. who is your quar-.
| termaster7" They told him and he whips out
piece of paper and writes something on it,
aud says, Take that to your quartermaster
and after while. sir, they came marchinf By
with shoes on. apd when they saw Messe Rob
ert. they took off their hats and give yell. but
he just waved his hand, slow and dignihed, sir,
and then passed on"
Down in the office, on the table is the pen
used by the General, as Tom pointed to it he
said:
''Dere was man in here one day he want
no gentleman, offered me $40 for that pen and
holder. 1 told him, sir, l did not thank him.
sir. for insulting me and he went away looking
like whipped dog, sir"
| As came out in the open air I seemed to
hear the words of Longfeliow whispered by
every passing breeze:
! elves of great men remind us.
We can make our lives sublime"
And the young men of the South who arc be
! ing educated here have the lives of jackson
and Lee ever before them.
! About five o'clock strolIed over to tho Vir-
ginia Military Institute to see the dress parade;
the boys in their well fitting uniforms march
and drill perfectly. They move as one man,
and it is a very beautiful and inspiring sight to
watch them; the band plays the came old tunes.
the same old echo rolls them back over the
campus. and the Institute looks as old and di-
! lapidated as it did in the days gone by.
As ] turned hoteiwards thought Of a day,
very many years ago, when frail. delicate boy.
l stood here in the ranks. loaded down with %
rounds of cartridges, big gun end three
blankets. Iremember the way IN which we
accepted General Hunters pressing invitation
to leave. and have very vivid recollection
Of the first days march towards Lynchburg
and how when night came and we halted, j
laid down In the road and slept as though ]
was in feather bed, covered with another one
One of the corps was a Baltimore boy, ant
in the evening he came down to the hotel, ant
We had good long talk about the Institute