The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-03-17
TOLD OF JACKSON, AND LEE.
FIapjacks of Lees Darky Cook Saved
the Union.

FlapIackS OF Lees Dafky COOK SAVED
the Union.
Strange, is it not, that Jackson,
like Sheridan, should have been con-
sidered ''crazy' the first year Of the
war? Indeed, before the war so &C.
centric was he that he was called
"Crazy Jack" at the Virginia Military
Institute. Nobody seemed to under
stand him. But so it has ever been
and ever will be, when we ordinary
mortals can't comprehend a genius We
get even with him by calling him
crazy.
l remember well how uneasy some
Of the Confederate generals were when
placed under Jackson's command in
early 1862. Ewell didn't like it, and
Dick Taylor didn' like it. They were
afraid Jackson would lead them into
some awful scrape or other. And
when Ewcll, with his division, was
lying near Gordonsville in late April
1862, but subject to Jackson's orders,
Ewell and Taylor were very unxious
to get from under him-either to go
down to Joe johnson at Yorktown, or
to have some general sent to the valley
who would rank with Jackson. So, at
Taylor's instance, he was sent to
Richmond by Ewell to see Mr.. Davis,
his brother-in- law, and Mr. BENJAMIN,
then Secretary of State, but recently
Secretary Of War, about getting away
from Jackson. But while Taylor was
gone Jackson ordered Ewell to "'come
a-running to the valley The camp
he had left in the morning at Swift
River gap, on the northwest side of
the Blue Ridge, Ewell occupied that
night. Jackson was gone, he knew not
where. The valley campaign had open
ed, he was making his strategic detour
back southwest over the Blue Ridge
toward Charlottesville hence by rail
past Staunto Buffalo Gap, and thence
northwest by long marches to Nc
Dowell, where he struck Milroy. But
there we were for few days at Swift
Run gap, without hearing a thing of
Jackson. General Ewcll may have
known where he was, but I doubt it.
Meanwhile, Taylor returned from
Richmond to the old camp near Cor
donsvflle, to find that Ewell had gone
to Jackson in the valley. Taylor was
thunderstruck. One of his commands
happened to be little way out from
camp on the road toward Gordonsville,
when Taylor came rafting down the
mountain side in his ambulance. He
asked me what meant General Ewell's
being ordered to the valley. I told
him I did not know. He then asked
me where General Jackson was. I
again had to confess my ignorance,
and could only say that he had broken
camp on certain morning, going with
his own division southwest, no one
seemed to know where, and that Gen
eral Ewell occupied his camp that
night, and had been there ever since.
'''-"ll,'' i'd Taylor, "this is
strange. Nobody at 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 command.
1t was too late, however, to change
commanders. Jackson was then fight
ing Milroy far to the west of us. He
probably never knew how near he came
to missing his great fame in the val
ley, and that in that campaign he not
only defeated four Federal command
crs, but 'outaanked" two of his own
best generals and the "folks' back at
Richmond.
Jackson disturbed his immediate
subordinates by never telling them
his plans nor consulting them. They
had simply to follow him blindly.
He never explained any proposed cam
paign to a subordinate nor called
council of war nor asked advice. Soon
after Ewcll Joined him in the valley.
1 remember riding with Gen. Taylor
and coming upon Gen. Ewell. Tay-
lor asked him. what the movement
meant. In his curt, half-abstracted
way, Ewell replied: II don't know.
If Gen. Jackson were shot down I
wouldn't know thing Of his plans y
"What !" said Taylor, you second
in command and don't know If |
were second in command l would
know p "You would, would you ?"
smiled Ewell in his old way, holding
his head to one side like sapsucker
peeping around a tree. ''No, you
wouldn't know any more than do
now. You don't yet know the man.
But Ewell and Taylor found their
crazy" reticent commander to have
more war sense than all of them put
together. So they ever pinned their
faith to him, admired him and loved
him.
have said that Taylor was often
sick and suffering intense bodily pain;
yet, that battle or emergency, with its
responsibility and danger would soothe
his pains, make his head clearer and
his disposition more amiable. Not SO
with some of our generals, as it was
not with Bonaparte. Our great Gen
eral Lee was the victim of an indiges-
ton and it cost the South dear. 1t
lost us the battle of Gettysburg The
battle of Gettysburg is singular con-
ccption to Gen. Lees battles. 1t
wasn't Gen. Lee who fought it; it
shouldn't count against him. His
usual skill is wanting at Gettysburg.
There must be cause for it. He was
sick, and not in possession of his
Usual cquanimity, and fine mental
,,owcrs. Those near him at the time
/ tell us this F; and from some Of them
the story Of how it came about has
leaked out.
Gen. Lee was very fond of old Vir-
7 L. II