Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1891-08-05
from SEetcles Jy Rec. J. WMiam jones

jackson was born soldier, and 1t
would be for me a pleasant task to sketch
his military career, which has been the
marvel of the world, and shall be the
study of military critics as the years 60
on but abler pens than mine will de-
scribe him as a soldier, and | shall not,
therefore in these papers attempt any de-
tailed history of his campaigns, his bat
ties, his military achevements-for that
we're to give the history Of the Army OF
Northern Virginia during the two years
he was connected with it. But shall
rather give a few salient points, which
shall illustrate his character as soldier,
and show something of his splendid deeds
on the field of Mars
He was noted for the rapidity of his
movements. An able Northern writer has
said, "He moved infantry with the celer-
ity of cavalry" and some Of his marches
have scarcely a parallel in history.
After his march to Cumberland and
Romney in the winter of 1S61-'62, when
many of his men were frost-bitten, and
some perished from intense cold, he had
scarcely rested his weary legions when he
begun his famous Valley campaign of
1862, which won for his men the soubri-
quet of "Jackson's Foot Cavalry" and
for himself worldwide fame.
When General Banks, supposing that
jackson was in full retreat up the Valley,
started column across the mountain to
strike Johnston's army. which was then
falling back from Manassas, Jackson
suddenly turned, marched thirty miles
that afternoon and eighteen early the
next morning, and struck blow at
Kernstown, which, while he suffered the
only defeat that he ever sustained, recall
led the column which was moving on
Johnston's flank and Disconnected McClel-
lan's whole plan of campaign.
Pursuit was utterly futile until he took
refuge in Swift Run Gap, whence he
emerged to make some Of the most rapid
marches on record, as he defeated Milroy
at Mcdowell, hanked Banks at Front
Royal, cut his column at Middletown,
routed him at Winchester, and pushed
him pell-mell across the Potomac. He
was about to cross the river in pursuit
when, learning that Shields and Fremont
Gin response to that famous order Of Mr..
Lincoln's) were Fastening to form a juno
ture in his rear al Strasburg, he marched
sixty miles in day anda half Zone of his
brigades marched fifty-two miles in one
day, held Fremont back with one hand
and Shields With the other, until all of
his troops and trains had passed the point
of danger and moved quietly up the Val
ley pursued by three armies, until at
Cross Keys and at Port Republic he suf-
fered himself to be Caught" and show
ed beyond all controversy that the man
who caught "Stonewall Jackson" had in
deed caught Tartar"
One of his biographers well puts it,:
an thirty-two days he had marched
nearly four hundred miles, skirmishing
almost daily fought five battles defeat
ed three armies, two of whom were com
pletely routed captured about twenty
pieces of artillery, some four thousand
prisoners and immense quantities Of stores
of all kinds, and had done all of this with
loss of less than one thousand men in
killed, wounded and missing"
The march from the Valley to "Seven
Days Around Richmond" and that to
Pope's rear at Manassas thence to
Sharpsburg (Antietam) ; the move from
the Valley to first Fredericksburg, and
that to Hookers rear at Charlottesville,
we're all famous for their rapidity. 1t is
related of Bedford Forest-"The wizard
of the saddle" the "Stonewall Jackson
of the West"-that when asked the Sc
cret of his success, he promptly replied
in characteristic, if not classic, phrase
81 gifts thar fust with the most men" j"
Jackson acted on his maxim. His men
used to say "Old Jack always started at
early dawn, except when he starts the
night before" he rarely had "the most
men" he nearly always got there fust,
and struck before the enemy was aware
of his presence.