The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-03-14
ABOUT JACKSON AND LEE
THE FLAPJACES OF LEES DARKr
COOK SATED THE dRMT.
Thin ms a Wafer and Big as a Csrtwhee1s
They Were Fit for Gods-A National
Tlapjack Wanted.

Strange. IS It not. that Jackson, like
Sherman, should have been considered
crazy the first year Of the war? In
deed before the war 80 eccentric was ne
that he was called crazy jack at the
Virginia Military Institute. Nobody
,oened TO understand him. But so It has
over been and ever will be. when we
ordinary mortals can't comprehend ge-
Mus we get even with him by calling him
crazy.
I remember well how uneasy some OF
tho Confederate Generals were when plac-
ed under Jackson's command in early lso2.
Ewer didn't like it, and Dick Taylor
didn't Ike It. They were afraid Jackson
would lead them into some awful scrape
or other. And when Ewell, with his d.
vision was living near GordonsYllie ia
late April 1s6Z, but subject 70 JdchsOh .
orders, Ewei and Iaylcr Were W. ~ ~
Gus to get from under hlm-eltlcl " ~
down TO Joe Johnston at loIklc"H VI
10 nave some General sent 10 the VaiIey
WHO would rank with Jackson 90, a.
Tavlors instance, he was sent 10 isleH-
mond by Ewcl TO see MI. DaNi7' ~, Ms
brother-in-ldW, and MI ben Jlitiiil' 80. 80,
Secretary OF state. but recently cIr.sl,y
OF War. about getting away from Jdchsol'
But while Taylcr was gone Jackson cru
I'll Ewef To come a-running TO the val
lev, The camp ne had left IN the morn
ing az Swift River gap, on the llol 'ia~ "a
side of the Blue Ridge, EweH occupIeu
that night. Jackson was gone, ne Know
rot where The valley campaign nau
oDtred. lie was making MS
strategic detour back southwest
over the Blue Ridge toward
Charlottesville; hence west py ran
mast stanton to Buffalo Gap and thence
northwest by long marches TO mcdowell,
where he struck Milroy. But there We
we're for a few days at swift Run cap
without hearing a thing OF Jackson. OIL en'
Ewell may have known Whese 10 "a-'
but Qouot IL. NJ,
ueud TO the old camp. near GordonsVlAe,
to find that Eweil had gone 10 JACKSON ~
the valley. Taylor was lhliuc, ~ uS ~
one of his commands happened to be a IT.
tie way out from camp ON the iodu 10
ward GordOnsville, when Taylor came rat
Ting down the mountain SIDE III ms am
bulance. lie asked me what meant Gen;
Ewells being ordered 10 the Ndlley.
fold him 1 did not know. lie then asker
mo where Gen. Jackson was. again
had 10 confess my ignorance ana coulu
only saw that he had broken camp on q
certain morning, going with ms own ulFl-
sion southwest, no one seemed TO know
,,-bore and that Gen. Eweu occupied his
camp that night ana hdu Deeh 'neiV ef0'
well" said Taylor, this IS strange.
Nobody at Richmond knows nylnlns
about H. But he added, there Is one
consolation. We won't be under TINS "a
old crazy fool long. Cen L0ngstreet Is
coming up here TO take command.
10 was too late. however, TO cnange
commanders. Jackson was then nghtns
Muroy far to the west Of us. lie propa-
blv never knew how near he came 10
missing his great fame IN the valley, ana
that in that campaign me hot oAly ue
feated four Federal Commanders, pu1
"outnanked two OF his own best Cone
rails. and the folks back at Richmond.
Jackson disturbed his immediate subOr-
dinates by never telling them his plans
nor consulting them. They had simply TO
follow him bliudly. He never explained
any proposed campaign 10 a subordinate
nor called council of war nor asked adj
vice. Soon after EWell Joined him m the
valley, 1 remember riding with Cen. Il ay-
Tor and coming upon Gen. EWell. Iaylof
asked him what the movement meant. IN
hts curt half-abstractcd way l-Weu re-
piled: II don't know. If Gen. Jackson
wero shot down 1 wouldn't know thing
OF his plans." "Wnat. said Taylor. you
second In command and don't know
III ] was second i'm command, 1 would
fnowr
'sYou would. would you?" smiled Ewel IN
his odd way. holding his head 10 one side
like a sapsucker pccping around a tree.
$40. you wouldn't know any mere than
j do now. You WOuldn Know lhe man.
Bur Eweu and TAYLOR found their crazy
reticent commander to have more war
sense than all Of them put together. 30
they ever pinned their faith TO MN, ad-
mlred him. and loved him.
have said that Taylor was oIten SICK
and suffering intense bodily pam, YET
that battle Of emergency. with IT'S r.
suOnslbillty and danger would s0Otne ms
pains make his head clearer, ana ms dls-
position more amlaDle. NOT 80 WIN some
of our Generals as II was not win Bon
aDarte Our great Gen. Lee was the VIC
tim OF INDIGESTION, and it cost the
south dear. IL lost US the battle Of Get
tvsburgi The battle or Gettysburg Is a
singular exception to Gen. Lees paltes.
III wasn't "Gcn. Lee who fought IL, DC
shouldn't count against MIN. Ills uaudl
skill is wanting az Gettysburg. mere
must be q cause for IT, lie was Sick ana
NOT i'm possession of his usual equanimi-
tv and fine mental powers. IhoSe near
him az the time tell MS tnisi ana IT III
some Of them the story or now II came
CEN. Lee was very fond Of old Virginia
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. cakes or African IN
venu0n. Thin as a wafer ana Dig hedily
as a cart wheel. and when made or new
dour and served hot with fresh butter
and maple molasses and folded ana Iold-
ed layers thick, they are q Iedst Tor the
gods But Gen. Lee, the best ana ten
derest Of men, as wen as the Siealest
AS hts ample means would have allow
ed. when mis- men were suffering Tor
food: and II che wanted poor dinner ne
had only to drop IA on Gen Lee az tntl
hour. lie lived but little better than his
men. This greatly disturbed his darky
cook: and when the army advanced INTO
Pennsylvania, flowing with milk ana non
ev and other good things edible. he said:
well. Use gNine TO git something good
for Marse Robert for once. If he never
otis none no mo-" SO. shrmishing
around. ne got up the necessary ingreai-
ents for the Generals fav0rlte cake. The
darlsv. I'm his pride IA chef and Jealous
love FOR his master, outdid himself On the
20th of June. The cakes We're too tempt
ing. the General ate too plentifully, was
sick accordingly, and Gettysburg was
lost. The Niger and the hapJacks saved
lie Union Some time ago 1t was a
craze" 10 find national Hover; why
not have a national cake2 | suggest that
at Thanksgiving the lapiack have equal
honor with the pumpkin pie.-Ncw Or
| leans Times Democrat.