The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1896-06-12
RAINS, THE DRUGGIST
STONEWALL JACKSON FEARED 1T.
Regarded "a Store of Whisky rs all Omen
of Impending Disaster.
youths Companion.)


About daylight of the day before
the second battle of Manassas" said
a Confederate officer at recent re-
union of the blue and gray, II was
ordered to report to Gen. II. j. Jack
son with detail of 100 men for
special orders. | went at once to
headquarters and presented the
orders | had received. Gen. Jackson
came out, and, reckoning to me to
follow him, rode some fifty yards
from his staff and then turned to me
and halted.
"Captain, do you ever use liquor,
he asked.
Ono, sir, L replied.
IA smile lit up his rugged face as
he said: Il sent for special detail
of 100 men under command of an
officer who never used spirituous
liquors. Are you that man?'
"'Yes, sir, l said, i was detailed
on that account
"'Well, then, he continued, l
have an order to give upon the
execution of which depends the sue
cess of the present movement and
the result of the battle soon to be
fought
eff to keep sober is all that is
needed, General, you may depend
upon me- 1 said.
NO he answered, that is not
all, but unless you can resist the
temptation of drink you cannot
carry out my orders. Do you see
that warehouse over there?' pointing
to large building little way off.
Take your command up to that
depot, have the barrels of bread roll
ed out and sent down to the railroad
track, so that my men can get 1t as
they pass, and then take your picked
men into the building and spill all
the liquor there. Don't spare drop
nor let any man taste it under any
circumstances. This order l expect
| you to execute at any cost
"He turned and was about to ride
back to his staff, when L called,
hastily:
lone moment General; suppose
an officer of superior rank should
order me under arrest and then gain
possession of the warehOuse?"
Coming up close to me and look
ing me through and through, as it
seemed to me, he said, "A look OF
solemnity that never shall forget
"'Until relieve you in person you
are exempt from arrest except upon
my written order. / fear that liquor
more than POpe's army he added
as he rode rapidly away.
II took my men down to the ware
house which had become so impor-
tant, and threw a guard around it,
placing five men at each entrance,
with orders neither to allow anyone
to enter nor to enter themselves.
The next thing was TO roll out the
bread, which we did. Just as we
were finishing that task / was called
to one of the entrances to find gen.
eral officer with his staff demanding
that the guards should either allow
him to enter or bring him out some
of the liquor. OF course | refused 20
comply with the command, upon
which he ordered his adjutant tC
place me under arrest.
81 told him / was there by Gen
Jackson's personal order, and was
especially exempt from arrest. He
ordered his men to dismount anC
enter the warehouse, and gave my
men the order to level their guns
and make ready.
"This made the General halt, il
spite of his thirst, and hold a con
sultation with his officers. They
concluded to try persuasion, since
they could not get what they wanted
by force. But they found tina
method of no more avail than TIL,
other. Then they demanded t.
know my name and what company
1 belonged to, and threatened to re
port me for disobedience.
II should never have yielded, anC
whether they would have pushed
things to an extremity, in their rag
ing thirst for the liquor, 1 do no
know; but just at that moment Gen
A. P. Hill came galloping up witt
his staff and naturally wanted t.
know what was the trouble. l eX
planned the situation, which tn
quick-witted General took in at ono
and ordered the thirsty squad off.
Have you orders to burn tn
building?' he asked.
NO 1 answered, Il have not
without a word he rode ava,
and within an hour there came a
order from Gen. Jackson to fir
the warehouse, and when it wa
we'll destroyed to report to him.
: ~ carried out the order to tn
letter; not man got a drink tina
day, and for that time the foe tina
Stonewall Jackson dreaded wa
vanquished."