Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-09-26
sroNEwALL JACKSON AND ouAaTrn

He Bsiisved In RatsIug ths BIaeA vIaG.
Meaning DeAth to Every Prtssaer.
One chapter Of JAckson's life b neW and
startling that which ascribes "a him 6
one moment proposal to raise ~ black
dag This is the last extremity Of var
and its most horrible barbaYity The very
word suggests slaughter without mercy.
The black Gag floats only at the masthead
Of pirate ships, telling by sign that can
not be misunderstood that quarter VIII
neither be asked nor given. In warfare on
land it would be Understood a. maasacro
Of prisoners, thing unknown among NJ
tions at the present day, and that would
bring upon any man or any epvernmsnt
that should attempt it the execration of
the whole civilized world. The very tdea
OF such a thing is so alien to the charncter
Of Stonewall jackson that statement Of
this kind must be received with great ~
serve.
IT would not be deemed worthy of 4 mo-
ment's attention were 1t not that ft Il
given on the authority of his own brother-
in-law, General Rufus Barringer, Of the
Confederate army, who details at consider
able length a remarkable interview that
took place after the seven days battles.
while the army was still encamped near
Richmond But the statement is explicit,
and leaves no doubt that jackson believed
in the Cromwellian way Of carrying on
war; that II war must BE-, the more trs-
mend0us the blows the sooner will Il come
to an end; and he would push the war into
the north and make it felt in all it, sever
ity. But be would never have dealt With
prisoners as Cromwell did with the Irish
garrison Of Drogheda, or Napoleon with
the Turks at Jaffa.
The best proof Of what he would do n
in what he did do when the fortune Of war
threw whole garrison into his hands.
At Harper's Ferry be captured Il, 600 men.
and instead Of treating them with great
severity, he paroled them all; by which,
instead Of being cent to southern prisons,
they were transported to camp near
Chicago. where they were kept in COM
parative comfort till they were exchanged.
OF course, il they violated their parole
they would be exposed to the utmost
penalty Of war. Bat the policy, instead
Of being cruel, was the mildest that could
have been adopted
1t was not however on the ground of
humanity. but to disencumber his army,
| that he might move it rapidly, which be
could not do with thousands Of prisoners
dragging on its heels II at Harper's Ferry
he had stopped to look after them, it would
have delayed his march to join Lee for the
approaching battle. When be declared,
therefore, that he would keep no prison
eTs,p it was for military reason.
He had laid out plan Of campaign,
which he believed il vigorously pursued
would end the war. 1t was to form three
or four great movable columns" Of 10000
men each, which should be literally strip
ped for battle, leaving behind not only
| prisoners, but even fortified posts, that the
whole fighting force might be concentrated
into few compact bodies, which could be
| moved with great rapidity into the north
ern states and against northern cities
| That this grand strategy would have
succeeded we do not believe for the best OF
all reasons, that it was twice attempted
and failed-at Antietam and Gettysburg
in the first of which jackson himself took
part. But at the time of the interview
this had not been attempted, and he was
very sanguine of success, even picturing
to himself how he would plant his guns
within Smelling distance of Philadelphia
and New Yorkl-Rev. Henry N. Field,
DID,, in Harper's.