Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-05-01
For the SPECTATOR.
STONEWALL JACKSON.
A SKETCH.

Before war was reduced to a science
by EpaminOndas, the originator of the
eschelon movement, hostile armies con.
fronted each other in parallel lines,
the side having the best offensive and
defensive weapons generally being the
victor. 1t was question of stomach
and arms, and the commander was
generally the man who could strike
the heaviest blow, and whose greatest
glory was to kill the hostile general,
and thus win the Spolia Optima, Serf
orius, Hannibal and Cesar improved
the tactics of Epaminondas; but the
commanders who have. down to the
present day, successfully man9vered
on the battlefields. can be counted on
ones fingers. In fact, almost all the
battles, both in ancient and modern
times, have been fought on the simple
parallel Napoleon's favorite plan
was concentration at a given point
The system of Hannibal was the flank
or rear attack, Tribia, Thrasimene. and
Canne were victories won by him over
greatly superior numbers by this mode
of attack. 1t was this system which
was adopted and invariably executed
by Stonewall Jackson. 1t is appai ent
to any thoughtful military man that
a surprise or unexpected flank move
ment or rear attack will invariably
cause confusion, CONSERVATION, and
panic. In a panic, the greater the
number, the greai er the confusion; the
bravest army is reduced to a condition
of utter heIplessness. The men be
come absolutely insane and are rem
dered incapable of thought or action
the legs being the only power
brought into requisition. Even veter-
an soldiers, under such circumstances,
become disheartened, lose confidence
in their commander and in each other,
and invariably magnify the existing
danger and seek safety in fight. Gen
Jackson predicated his every move
ment upon this knowledge, and, to use
an apt expression of Mr. Lincoln's, he
always "plowed around the log"
Critics have not rendered unto Jack
son the things that are Jackson's-
they have not accorded to him the
rank upon the roll of great men to
which his genius and achievements
Justly entitle him. No history has, as
yet, been written which fully recounts
his deeds, or ably, from military
standpoint, relates his wonderful cam
paigns. Future historians will do
justice to his genius, and will rank him
with that quartette of the greatest of
great men = Napoleon, Hannibal,
Caesar, and Frederick-with whom,
when we consider his limited resources,
he stands as the equal in war. The
Generals-Banks, Shields, Milroy, Nc
Dowell, Fremont, Pope, Burnside, Nc
Clellan, and Hooker-will be the ever
lasting, but unwilling witnesses to his
unconquerable genius.
His valley campaign has never been
surpassed in the annals of war. For
conception and execution it is only
equalled by the Silesian campaign of
Frederick. and the Italian campaign
of the young Napoleon. In it, he rout-
ed four Generals, and annihilated four
different armies, each numerically
greater than his own, and then, by
Fastening to the relief of Lee, he huri-
ed his forces upon the flank of McClel-
Ian and utterly routed his grand army.
His rear attack on Pope at the sec
ond Manassas is unparalleled IN war for
audacity and success. His flank at
tack on Hooker at Charlottesville, in
which he lost his life, drove that gen.
eral from his own Notifications howl
Ing with rage and despair, and once
more saved the struggling Confeder
acy.
jackson was fatalist, and the same |
unfattering belief in destiny which |
prompted Napoleon to brave the rigor
of Russian winter, prompted him to |
expose himself to great and unneces-
sary dangers.
At West Point, jackson exhibited no |
characteristics of greatness. In the |
Mexican war. he was promoted for |
gallant conduct on two or three occa- |
sions. After that war, he was appoint |
ed professor at the V. NJ. Institute,
and was there only distinguished for |
piety and eccentricity. But when the |
civil war broke out in all of it's fury. |
then it was that his hitherto latent |
genius shone like a bright meteor |
shooting across the armament, out |
shining all lesser lights by its greater
effulgence.
At first Manassas, he attracted the |
attention of the world by his steadfast |
ness and tixedness, and his subsequent |
brilliant and overwhelming charge |
with his brigade, which, together with
the simultaneous attack of Kirby |
Smith. gained that great victory for
the ConiederaIe,. From this time is
promotion was rapid. and he was Civ
en- the command of the Valley depart
ment, where he achieved that reputa-
ton which has encircled his name with
a halo of immortality.
His campaigns are too Well known
for me to recount them here; but we
will follow him to Charlottesville
where we find him engaged in his ia
vOrite mode of attack, and where.
through in utter disregard of his own
safety, and through inexcusable care
lessness on his part, he fell by the hands
of his own people, while performing the
duty of scout. Having posted Gen.
Jim Lanes brigade and ordered to ad
vance, he rode to the front to observe
the federal position, accompanied by
some members of his staff, when, being
fred upon by the enemy, he retired in
haste towards his own line, and his
men, supposing that they were being
charged by the cavalry of the enemy,
fired valley severely wounding the
General. Gen Lane in his official re-
port says: have always thought that
Sen. jackson wasswounded by the 1Sthj
.ocefr,a ant of NV hrinada and thar xuo.o |