The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1897-02-10

hiSut, ohN HoN oSoA eHSAS w.
since.
"Welp said Taylor, "tlis is
strange. Nobody in Richmond
knows anything about it. But" he
added, "there is one consolation:
We won't be under this id old
crazy fool long. Gen. Longstreet
is coming up here to take com.
mana."
1t was too late however, tochanga
commanders. Jackson was then
fighting Milroy far TO the west of
us. He probably never knew how
near be came to missing his great
fame in the valley, aud in thai
campaign he not only defeated
four Federal commanders, but
"outfanked" two Of his own best
Generals and the "fulks" back at
Richmond.
| remember, too, the day after
the battle of Manassas, Il number
of US Louisianians of Jackson's
command we're riding over the foot
of the Geld where Longstreet had
fought. There was a hag Of trnce;
the Federal burial parties were
collecting and burying their dead.
We fell in with Gen. James Robert
son, who commanded Hoods Tex
ans. Thay had fought the Brook
Ign Zouaves, and the old General
was very proRd of kis work. He
showed his position; how tho Zou
ayes had come up in well-dressed
line and gorgeous array--red bag
gy breeches, ftz caps and all, look.
ing 80 like Turks! and there was
their long line still to be traced by
their dead-their feet almost in
line as they fell, so dead had they
been struck. But we also had fall
ell i'll with a quiet, silent Virginia
cavalry captain; and bright hand
some, hloude Ohio sergeant, a mere
boy, in charge of one of the burial
squads-who had quit his grew.
some work and joined US. He was
much interested in Gen. Jackson;
admired him greatly, aud asked
us many questions about him.
And we took a great fancy to the
intelligent little fellow, and told
him some wondrous stories, no
doubt; all the while the Virginia
cavalry saying not IL word, but all
attention, till we had pamped the
Yankee lad full Of the greatness
and "ways" of "Stonewall," and
had stopped talking for d moment,
when the Virgiui IN, iu bis soft
tones and broad accent, slowly
said.
Well, gentlemen, I reckon all
you say, aud all this little Yankee
thinks, of Gen. jackson is true.
He must be y great man to do
what he has done in this war |!
But let me tell you: l was a cadet
under him for four years and Pll
swear he's crazy!n
Years after the war I was in
Waco, Tex, and called on General
Robertson at his home. | asked
him if he remembered our riding
over his part of the field of Secoud
Manassas the day after the battle.
ooh, yes" said he; and l re
member the little Yankee and the
Virginia captain, too-the fellow
who swore Jackson was crazy.n
The whole scene there on that
bloody tield-the singular specta-
Gle Of the gaudily dressed dead
Zouaves lying as the brave fellows
fell, %"toeing the mark" the intense
interest of the Yankee lad in our
great Southern hero, and the Vir-
GINA captains deliberate, droll
opinion of him-seems to have
made a lasting impression on US
all.
have often wondered if the lit
tie Ohio sergeant could be still
living. The pleasant c%ourtesies of
the combatants Que to the other,
under flag of truce, and often sur
reptitiously on the picket line,
only they can know and appreci,
ate. The civilian who imagines
war to be only hate aud blood and
fire, can't conceive, uor be made
believe, that war also exercises the
finer feelings of the human heart.
Brave men who fight one another
must come to love one another.
This follows as surely as the night