Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1890-06-14
STONEWALLL JACKSON.
Personal Traits of tho General Rcoalle
by Congressman Oates.

Personal Traits of the General Recalled
by Congressman Oates.
Congressman Oates, OF Alabama,
writes to General Alpheus Baker, of
Louisville, KY, letter containing some
interesting personal "reminiscences of
.Stonewall jackson. He says: l first
saw him the fall of 1861, in front of
Manassas, soon after he was sent with
his division to the valley of Virginia. l
next saw him early in the spring of '62,
when Ewell's division left the Kappa
hammock and joined Jackson in tho upper
valley of the Shenandoah. His achieve
ments 1 need not relate. He looked
awkward on horseback, because he rode
with short stirrups; but on foot he was
full six feet high, square shouldered,
slightly round, would have weighed
about 170 pounds; had full, brown
beard, straight nose, high forehead,
black hair, thin, nearly to badness on
the top, with dark grey eyes, full of
strength and depth of expression. They
seemed to look through man and dis
cern his thoughts at a glance. On foot
he was really handsome man; thought
him remarkably so. His voice was effem-
mate and cracked like an old woman's.
For instance, he would say: Il can't OK
cuse you, sir, can't excuse YOU" He al
ways spoke politely, but firmly and to
the point. At the close of the valley
campaign, in June, '62, he assembled =
general court martial and appointed
me Judge Advocate of it. This brought
me in personal contact with him, and
had the advantage OF personal inter-
views with him on two occasions. 10
decided very quickly on every question,
and tho reasons for it, and did not seem
impatient, but good listener and rs
soon as the point was fully presented he
would decide the matter calmly. but
with such determination and repetition
as at once struck the petitioner with the
idea of its finality; and from it there
was no appeal. he refused a request, if
at all, politely, but very quickly and
with such impressiveness that no man
ever had the temerity to ask him to
-overrule his decision; look came from
his penetrating eyes which showed you
enthusiastically that the answer came
from his very soul and was irreversible.
During the sitting of this court martial
for two or three days, which was all the
time it ever had, | walked out in the
woods one day, and not dreaming that
ne was near, l heard man and turned
to look, and about forty steps distant
was General Jackson on his knees, alone
and praying aloud.
When he marched his corps around
Pope's left wing in August '62, at Bris-
low station had my third conversation
with him which was about removing the
wreck of cars on the road. After ex.
planning to him the impossibility oil
doing it, he replied, "Have you tried
SIR ] responded, 81 have and it is i'm.
possible to remove the wreck unless
had the proper tools to work with" He
said, "1'hen set it on fire and march in
the direction of Manassas Junction
along the railroad, where you will joir
your brigade" 1t was then after s o.
clock at night and we had marched sixty
miles in the two preceding days upor
half rations, green corn and half ripe
apples. 1t was four miles further tI
Manassas; but we reached the brigade
in the line of battle and participated il
the capture of the place that night.
Two days after this he had his corp:
in line on tho old battlefield, in tn,
shape of half moon, with the concav,
side parallel with the pike, along which
the enemy came. When they were
sauarely in his front, 900 strong
while he had but 90, 900 and Longstree
twenty miles away, he pointed his fingel
at them and quick as thought, said to hi
Lieutenant, who was near him: "Ewell
advanced" and dashed off on his horse il
the direction of A. p. Hills division
During the battle Of the next day, wheI
Company A. Fifteenth Alabama, ha(
killed Federal Major, who, leading hi
regiment, tried to charge his horse int,
their ranks, General Jackson came up +,
that spot, and when he heard the Captain
rebulse his mon, saying: ''You SHOULD
have captured him, he was too brave
man to have been killed." the grea
jackson reversed what sold Hickory
said in rebule of his men for proposing
to kill Bill Weatherford, by saying
+'No, Captain, your men are right; Kill
the brave ones, they lead on the others.
One day when we were on the marcl
going to Maryland he was riding from
the rear forward and passed regimen
from which the men were struggling
and depredating on the orchards, he rod'
alongside the Major in command and ad
dressing him very politely inquired
"Major are you in command of thi
regiment?" The response came with
low bow, "Yes. General" "Well, Ma
jor, do you know the position of an office
in arrest?" 81 think / do, General.
well, just take that position, Major.
He stuck spurs to his horse and wen
through the woods in a swift gallop, tn
men along the line whooping and yell
Ing, which they invariably did wheneve
he appeared, in memory of the glory 0
his achievements.