St. Landry democrat., 1891-08-22
The Most Striking Figure i'm the Civil
War,


! The Baltimore Sun, in connection with the
| unVcli1nS OF monument at Lexington TO
StOneWall Jackson, presents in some carefully
! considered sentences a striking and able char
acteriZatiOn OF the great soldier We make
some extracts
Some thirty years ago there emerged from a
! little mountain town in Virginia, along with
| the crowds of volunteers who were fockinr
| from every section to the standard of the South
| crn Confedcracy, an obscure military professor
| chiefly celebrated among those who knew him
! Tor his personal eccentricites and peculiar-
| lies lie was graduate at West Point, but
| like Gen. Grant, graduate without special hon
| or or distinction, and when after ineritorious
service ill the Mexican war he resigned from
the army, and accepted position at the Vir-
glula Military ms itute at Lexington, he Drac-
ticaly disappeared from public sight. He was
noted at the Military Institute for his fidelity
| and earnestness, but i'll teaching the yoJng
ideas how to shoot intellectually he was not
considered a brilliant success. Nature had in
tended him to teach them TO shoot in differ
ent way and on different field. His true pro-
fessorship was in the university of war, and he
only became wide awake when cannon were
laundering. At the institute he was known
as Prof Thomas Jonathan jackson, but i'll the
very first battle of the civil war in which he
participated Professor Thomas Jonathan
disappeared forever and "Stonewall" Jackson
became Immortal
He was not i'll any aspect a typical figure.
lie was III mind and moral composition unique,
original, sui generS. OF English stock, with
Maryland blood in his veins, d cavalier of the
IL,
none OF the cOurtly graces and personal en-
dowments that distinguished Robt q. Lee and
many or the brilliant throng of generals that
surrounded the commander-inchief Tn mind
heart, character, lie presented q combination
so rare and apparently so contradictory as to
furnish most singular and remarkable
study: UnSalnly, grave, tacturn, he seemed
IN outward appearance more like a Puritan
tfaGsplanted to softer cline than a Southern
er to the manor born. In indomitable will.
cromwell! had no more iron soul in eager
10 an.1, l,y1
ed, no Scotch C0venanter ever surpassed him
Ill cool calculation Grant was not more phlee,
matte and unexcitable; in brilliant movement
and splendid audacity, Prince was not more
superb or dashing; in instinct and feeling. no
cavalier that followed King Charles ever bore
kn1ghtller heart. AS soldier he united
morally and intellectually all that was great
est IN both sections Of his own country, and
most admirable and magnificent in the world
conquering English race.
In the loss of StOnewall Jackson the South
lost more than an army with banners. It lost
tnat rarer and surer defense, a great master i'm
the art or war, and one who in point of natural
ana original genius was probably unequaled by
any soldier on either SIDE The longer his cam
palgns are studied the more wonderful do they
appear and the more extraordinary the mill !
tary capacity OF the man who directed and ex-
ecuted them What might have been had-Ae
lived Is q matter Of useless SPECULATION among
the better realities of the present 1t has been |
sa'd that Gettysburg was the turning point of
the war, yetno one follow attentively the ca
feef or jackson without feeling that it was not |
at Gettysburg, but at Chan oe,lorsville, that the
tide OF the great strife really began to turn. |
without depreclatins the splendid leadership of !
Lee, IL is difficult to fancy either Gettysburg
or Appomattox with the queer professor from |
Lexington still riding his old sorre and lead |
ing ms ragged but invineible battalions. But |
;, ne breathed out his great soul in the lap of |
battle" and from the purer atmosphere Of !
the life in which he believed SO firmly sees
more clearly the true working out of the prob
iems 20 which mortal vision is often so blind |
great soldier, q great man, and best of all a |
greas Christian, he sleeps the sleep of the lust |
ana faithful among thu quiet scenes in which
he iaooTed SO medestly before war summoned |
MIN to his crown OF fame