The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-05-02
GEN. THOMAS ]. JACKSON,
Tribute to the Soldier and Man by
Judge Lightfoot.
HIS GREAT. SUBLIME FAITH IN Col
and All Else of His Grentncss
Was Subordinatc.


memory of Stonewall jackson at the I'M
| THURSDAY;
General Thomas Jonathan jackson was
perhaps tho NEST unique character which
has figured In modern American history; a
character which has puzzled alike the cler-
| gyman and tho soldier. He could have ex-
| cellod as a missionary had he not eNeellcd
as a military commander. He was faithful
TO every tcuet OF his church. and yet in
| strategic movement upon the field OF bat
| Tie has been compared by military critics
of the world with Napoleon and Cromwell,
with Caesar and Alexander
| When the news was flashed across the
| trembling wires that Stonewall Jackson
had fallen, there was pause along our
! lines; brave mon turned pale, Sigh OF re-
| Inf swellcd in the bosoms Of those who had
fought him. and the hearts OF nations
| across tho great waters stood still to see
| the result.
Our great commander in chief. General
Lee, declared that the Confederacy had lost
| its right arm. and the great statesman, Mr.
| Davis, has said that by his fall the Conicd-
eracy has not only lost its right arm, but
| lis right eye as well.
What was there in tho life and character
Of the man worthy OF study and emula-
from other great men? Why is it that,
| outside of the commander in chief, with
! seven full generals who ranked above him.
with eighteen other lieutenant generals
who were of equal rank. with cighty-onc
major generals and three hundred and sin
/ ty two brigadlor generals, tho name of
Stcncwall Jackson always stands side by
! side with the immortal Lee in that good
| Hest fellowship of famous knights where
Of this world holds record.
| He was left fatherless at years of age
and motherless at /. His motto was.
IL hl will 10 I a. - ,,st,.r \,
or Us boy Of IL years, shaking with chills
and cutting cord wood for steamboats, upon
| an island in the Mississippi river, whether
/ laboring as a farm hand; whether riding
! as the constable Of Lewis county, virginia;
whether carrying a musket in the ranks OF
| cadets at West Point or whether az lieu
| tenant general of great army. riding
down the favorite battalions OF Banks.
and Shields, and Hooker, he was the same
! intrepid Jackson.
Az soldier his persistent faith IN AL
mighty God was his shield and bucklor by
II he became a veritabie stone wall, and in
1t he was invincible.
His graduation from West Point IN 1916
with the rank of brevet second lieutenant
/ threw him at once into tho war with Mex
, leo. where his rapid promotion gives testi-
mouy Of bis marked ability. AT Vera Cruz
he was assigned to duty az second iieuten-
ant in Magruders battery. At Cherubusco
pc made first lieutenant. and for his
gallant conduct he was promoted to the po-
sition of captain. At the stcrmng Of Cha
pultepec he won the brevet of major,
From 1851 to 1861 In his life as Il profess
sor in the Virginia Military Institute. this
happy ten years of iove and quictude, this
ten years which developed the great young
warrior into q messenger of peace, he was
Ike a grand ship quietly anchored In Il
harbor OF safety free from the storms and
tempests of the outer sea.
If We only had this. Ii would develop
character worthy OF emulation, for peace
hath its victories no less renowned than
war
As Presbyterian, his pastor said that
he made the best deacon in his flock. He
was always at The post OF duty. Here his
domestic life developed these swceter flow
ers in the garden OF his existence somo of
which stlI live and bloom in loycliest
form. He was first married TO Miss
Eleanor Junkin. daughter of Rev George
,Iunkin. August 4, 1853. She lived only
fourteen months. He was married to Miss
Mary Ann Morrison, daughter of Rev |
DR. Il. H. Morrison, July 49, 1857. She still |
survives. and her presence today with the |
little grandchild gives dignity and honor |
to this occasion.
need not dwell upon the history of his |
campaigns In the late war. Every school |
boy is familiar with then. Major Jackson |
loved the Union. but when the Southen |
f'ltltS 5tcelcu anu htIl lNicc thllllliSbluh- |
crs from Montgomery, which were not re-
ceiyei at The National capital. when meas
ures Of coercion were adopted by the gov
ernment, and when at last grand old Nir-
gnia cast her fortunes with her sisters 10
uphold the rights Of tho state. thero was 70
hesitation ON his part. and in less than four
days after the secession OF his State this
fervcnt Christian man had kissed his low
ing Wife goodbye and was on his way 10
Richmond, at the head Of his corps of ca
dots. From that lime until the day of his
death, It is said that he never asked or
received u furlough was never absent
single day from duty, and never slept
single night outside OF the lines OF his own
command How many soldiers can show
such n record OF faithful service? From
The beginning his promotion was rapid
He was first major in the engineering de-
partment. then colonel, then brigadler gem
eral. then major general then lieutenant
general At the first battle of Manassas
with his old brigade he gained immortality
as a soldier. and whom the gallant Cen
eral Bee pointed his waverlng troops 10
wen formed lines and exclaimed
with enthusiasm. Look; there Is Jackson
standing like stone wall" this gallant
brigade was holding back superior force
lf the enemy and finally, with fixed bay
oncts, swept them from the field thus
saving tho day and browning the Southern
iims with glory. From that day, baptized
nto history az "Stonewall" Jackson. h
We haze not the time 10 follow the rec
,rd of this hero OF hundred battles. For
genius and strategic skill his Val /
oy campaign was only cqualled by tho
naneuyers Of Napoleon at Austerlitz
He was tho Same systematic. determined,
persistent. whole souled, religious Jackson {
whether his blue gray eyes were laughing 6
n tenderness over his own lovely babe. as
10 tossed her up In his arms and looked I
mex the love which spake again from the I
leart Of his happy wife or whether those q
hangefnl eyes flashed fire along tho peril I
ms edge Of battle. To his friends he was f
ike the genial sunshine. whosc warmth =
onetratod every heart and whose faith and t
ogotion lifted them up nearer to God. 10 I
lis enemies lie was Ike the lightning which t
hrobs in tho bosom of the coming cyclone, {
yer ready 10 sweep down upon them. car Il
wing death and disaster, J
Weaving IN wind, yet wondrors harmony,
DISTINCTIONS battle march" "