Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-07-24
SI'OUEVALL JACKSON

There is always great curiosity in the
public mind, which is generally already
familiar with the life and campaigns of a
great soldier, to hear anecdotes by reliable
men. close to him, about the man himself.
This curiosity about Gen. T. J. Jackson
the Richmond Dispatch and the Richmond
Times have wisely taken into account, and
gotten from two men, who enjoyed eXcep-
tional privileges for gaining their know
edge, personal recolections of incidents
and characteristics of StoneWall Jackson S
life during the civil WAL. These men were
DR.. Hunter MEG uire and Rev. J. William
Jones We make the following extracts
from them:
From the recollections of Dir. Mcguire in the
Dispatch.
HIS PERSONAL APPEARANCE.
''In person Jackson was a tall man. six
feet high, angular, strong, with rather
large feet and hands. He strided along as
he walked, taking long steps, and swinging
firm and decided, however, even in his gait.
His eyes were dark blue, large and pierre
ing. Helooked straight at you and through
you, almost, as he talked. His nose WAS
aquiline. his nostrils thin and mobile. His
mouth was broad, his lips very thin. Gen
orally they were compressed. lie spoke IN
terse, Snort sentences, always to the point.
There was never any circumlocution about
what he had to say. His hair was brown
and inclined to auburn. His beard was
brown. lie WAS us gentle and kind as q
woman to those that he loved. There WAS
sometimes a softness and tenderness about
and all circumstances he never forgot that
he was Christian, and acted up to his
Christian faith unswervingy, and yet he
WAS not a bigoted ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
cat one time just before the fight at
Charlottesville we were ordered to send to
the rear all surplus baggage. All tents
were discarded except those necessary for
office duty. We were allowed at the head
quarters only one tent, and that to take
care Of the papers. A Catholic priest be-
longing to Ole Of the Louisiana brigades
sent up his resignation because he WAS not
permitted to have d tent, which he thought
necessary to the proper performance Of his
office.
81 said to General Jackson that | was
very sorry to give up Father -; that he
was one of the most useful chaplains in the
service. He replied: If that is the case he
shall have a tent And SO far as l know
this Roman Catholic priest was the only
man in the corps who had one.
''In my opinion those people who have
made General Jackson a narrow-minded,
bigOted Presbyterian have belittled him.
He was Il true Presbyterian and Christian,
but not marrow one. | remember one night
he was in my tent very near CharlestoWn,
and he was sitting by the fire that | had
made. He said to me, L would not give
One-thousandth part of my chances fol
Heaven for all the earthly reputation have
OF can make
RELATIONS WITH MIR. DAVIS.
ssThe first time General Jackson evel
saw President Davis was at first Manassas
The enemy had been routed and the wound
ed brought back to the field hospital which
| had made for JackSon'S brigade. Out OF
about 500 Shot that day in our army COG
or more were out of Jackson S brigade, and
he himself had come back to the hospita
wounded. The place was on the banks of
the little stream of water just this side OF
the Lewis house. Hundreds of men hat
come back. the fight being over, to see
about their wounded comrades, SO there
were really several thousand people gathered
in and about that hospital. President
Davis had gotten off the cars with his staff
at Manassas Junction and ridden as fast as
he could to the field of battle. He had beef
told along the route by stragglers that We
were defeated. He came on down the little
hill which led to this stream in rapid
galIop, stopped when he got to the STREAM
and looked around at this great crowd Of
soldiers. His face was deadly pale and his
eyes flashing. He stood up in his stirrups
glanced over this crowd. and said: / an
President Davis, all of you who are able
follow me back to the field
jackson was a little deaf and didn'
know Who Davis was OF what he said unit
| told him. He stood up at once, took OF
his cap, and saluted the President and said
I'VE have whipped them. They ran lik'
dogs. Give me 10000 men and | will talk
Washington city Tomorrow
''The next time he saw President Davis
so far as [ know, was at the PoindeXtel
house. after the battle of Malvern Hill.
had gone in the room to get some informa
ton from General Jackson after McClel
Ian had retreated from Malvern Hill t.
Harrisons Landing, when l found in The
room Lee. Longstreet and Jackson, looking
over some maps spread on the dining room
table. After a While President Davis came
in General zee greeted him very Warml,