Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-07-24
be proud to say to their children, was one
..,ll l.1.i.r. do

be proud to say to their children, l was one
of the StoneWall brigade
Ills HIGH OPINION OF NAPoLEoN.
.sIn listening to Jackson talking of Ma
poleon BOnapaTte, as | often did, | was
struck with the fact that he regarded him
as the greatest general that ever lived. One
day asked him something about Water
loo. He had been over the field, inspected
the ground, and spent several DAYS in study
ing the plan of battle. asked who had
shown the greatest generalship there, Ma
pOleon or wellington? He said, decided
Iy Napoleon | said, We'll, why was he
whipped then?' He replied, Il can only ex-
plain it by telling you that l think God in
tended him to stop right there. J"
Ills SECRECY.
[Rev. j. VIM. Jones in the Richmond Times.l
The secrecy with which Jackson formed
and executed his plans was q most impOr
tant element of his success.
After the defeat of Fremont at Cross
Keys, and Shields at Port Republic, he was
largely reinforced by General Lee, who took
pains to have the fact known to the enemy,
impression that with these reinforcements
he would sweep down the Valley again.
lie took into his confidence Colonel t.
T. Munford, who commanded the advance
of his cavalry. and he detailed for special
duty MI. William Gilmer Of Albemarle,
who was widely known in Virginia as
political speaker, and in the army as gal
liant soldier.
A number Of Federal surgeons who had
come under a flag OF truce to look after
Banks wounded were quartered in a room
Gilmer ("Bily Gilmer'' was his popular
soubriquet) stalked i'll with rafting saber
and jingling spurs, and in loud tones an
noumced, ''Dispatches fol- General jack
son. y ''What IS the news?" he was asked
loud enough to be heard by the surgeons in
the next room, who pressed their ears to
the key-holcs and cracks eager to catch
every word. ''Great news" was the loud
response. "Great news. The whole road
from here to Staunton is full of gray people
coming to reinforce us. There is General
Whiting and General Lawton and General
Hill, and | don't know who else, at the
head of about 10000 men. They will all be
up by tomorrow afternoon, and then won t
we clean out this Valley and make the
Yankees slledaddle again across the Poto-
mac Hurrah for old Stonewall and hi )
foot cavalry, as well as his crittur compan-
les, say Il"
1t is needless to add that when the sur
geons were sent back to their own lines
early the next morning, they fastened to
carry 1.-The news' to headquarters. A hasty
retreat Of the Federal army followed, and
Jackson SO skilfully manGuvered his forces,
used his cavalry as a curtain across the
Valley, and SO secretly conducted his march
to Richmond, that.at the very time that he
was laundering Oh McClelan'S flank at
Cold Harbor, Banks was fortifying at
StraSburg against all expected attack from
him.
| well remember how profoundly igno-
rant the men, and even the higher officers,
on the march were as to our destination.
At Charlottesville We expected to march
into Madison county to meet a reported
move of Banks across the mountains. At
| Gordonsville the Presbyterian pastor, Rev.
| Dr. Ewing, told me us Il profound secret
which he had ''gotten from headquarters, y
that we would ''moye at daylight next
morning towards Orange Courthouse and
! Culpeper to threaten Washington
1--WE did ''move at daylight" 1--WE gener-
ally did), but it was towards Louisa Court
house. There and at Frederick S Hall and
at Hanover Junction we expected to move
on Fredericksburg to meet Mcdowell, and
it was really only when We heard A. p.
Hill S guns at MechanicSvilie on the even
irg of June 26th. that We took in the full
situation, and there rang along our moving
columns for miles shouts OF anticipated
victory, as the Foot Cavalry'' hurried
forward ''to take their place III the picture
near the flashing of the guns
The evening that Jackson spent at Fred
erick7s Hall, MN5. Harris sent him an in
vitation to take breakfast With her the neyt
morning, and he courteously thanked her
and said, eff | can / will be happy to dc
500 But when the good lady sent to sum
mon him to breakfast, his famous body ser
| ~ 1o/> &c
establishment and said, ''Lor, you surely
didn't spec to find the General here at dis
hour, did you? Why he left here at l o'clock
dis morning, and l spec he is whipping the
Yankees in de Valley agin by now" The
| truth is, he had ridden into Richmond, a
distance of fifty miles, to have an interview
with General Lee, and receive his final i'll
structions as to the part he was to take in
the great battle that was impending, and
he did it SO secretly that the army knew
nothing of his absence, and Richmond
nothing of his presence within her walls.
1t was Oh this ride that characteristic
incident occurred. Before day, MI. Mathew
Hope, a respected citizen living in the low
Ell part of Louisa county, was awakened by
the CHATTER of horses hoofs in front of his
house. Asking, "Who is there?" he re-
! ceived for an answer: 1.-TWO Confederate
officers who are on important business, and
want two fresh horses to ride into Rich
mond. Have you two good horses?"
"Y es, always keep good horses" was
MI Hopes reply, ''but [ cannot lend them
to every straggler who claims to be q Con-
federate officer onimportant business. You
cannot have my horses. "
''But our business is very urgent. We
must and will have them, and you had as
well saddle them at once. We will leave
our horses in their place. II do not sad
die my own horses was the indignant re-
ply: II keep negroes for that purpose, and
[ shall certainly not saddle them for you,
especially as [ have no assurance that you
Will ever bring them back" The officers
soon got the hors and galloped off with
them, and MI. Hope was very much as
tonished when several days afterwards they
were returned i'll good condition with
thanks and compliments of General Jack
son, y and exclaimed, ''Why did he not tell
me that he was Stonewall Jackson? If
had known who he was | would have cheer
Gully given him all OF the horses Oh the
place and have saddled the II for him too.'
Review of the Georgia Genius by the
Virginia Genius.