The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-01-09

entail. 1fubnIutly cOQlu ne say Win
Richter: when in my last hour all
faculty in the broken spirit shall fade
away, then at last will the night flower
of Belief alone continue blooming, and
refresh with its perfume in the last
darkness"
In this narration / may, perhaps, now
and then wander from Jackson to the
old Brigade. We may for a moment
lose sight of the faded coat-the sorrel
mare, while we turn to look at that old
Brigade trickling down the mountain
passes like little threads.
Caesar without the Tenth Legion,
Cromwell without the 'Ironsides," Ma
poleon without the Old Guard, yelling
ton without the Scotch Greys, Jackson
without the Old Brigade would hardly
be luminous in any annals. Together
they have double quicked' to the gates
of the Parthenon of Fame; together
they have dipped their blades in the
Crimson tide;" together they have
plucked their Iaurels from fields SCARED
and scanned by iron hoOfs. We cannot
deny to them a gleam of glory from that
halo that surrounds these immortals.
Had the Old Brigade fought in the
Crimea, each soldier would have been
decorated with the Victoria Cross"
During his wild charge" at Cold Har-
Dor Jackson was busy at the batteries,
fighting the great guns of the enemy a
half a mile away, on hill above the
road toward Grapevine Bridge. He
kept about the battrie in spite of the
tempest of shot and shell. As the fire
grew hotter and hotter, he rode DO the
right and left, between the guns, to the
front, within their line of fire, with the
supreme Indifference of one who had
put his whole trust in the God of bat
ties. The slumbering volcano was there
doubtless, but his face indicated indomit-
able resolution, and / doubt not he was
that moment leaning upon a stronger
arm than mans.
Many there are l presume, who have
seen this famous general strongly moved
in battle, when amid its thunderings and
lightnings, when amid its horrible ex-
plosions, the stern and unimpassioned
nature was unmasked, the voice became
strident, and keyed to the utmost
verge the eye attained with excite
ment, as he hurled his tumultous legions
upon the bayonets and sabres of the
enemy. Even now the survivors of the
"Old Brigade delight to tell you, what
Old Stonewall did on Slaughter Noun
tain. They will describe to you how the
eye flashed, the cheek flushed hot, the
voice so low and calm, rose to loud and
deafening tones, like a clarion to the
charge. At such moments they say the
ice had turned to fire, the tranquil bear
ing to deyouring agitation, and he lead
the charge with the fury of the tiger.
Woe to the foe who had to deal with
Jackson at such moments. They were
as stubble before the fire. All ener-
gies of soul and sense were combined
and concentrated in the stubborn and
unfaltering struggle.
To have followed this peerless leader
was thing to tell to children's children,
and the flush of remembered triumph
viii overspread the one bronzed cheek
of the veteran, who tells it, gathering
around Jackson in the Valley when
Stuart hsSa but handful of cavalry to
watch the border; when Ashby was a
simple captain, the StonewalI brigade
held in check an enemy twenty times
their number. And then commenced
their long and uninterrupted career of
glory; stheir wonderful marches and
counter marches; their incessant combat;
their disdain of snow and sleet, of cold
and hunger, the laws of the human
body seemed all reversed for these men.
The very rapidity of their marches
separated them from all creature com
forts; but the shadow of insubordina-
ton never fitted over that command,
and / have seen them going into action,
after fighting five battles in four days
the ranks were thin, and the faces were
d NV a u ~ bai hot
tered banner foated as defantly in the
winds Of the Potomac, as in the sun of
the Shenandoah. That shell-rified ban
ner might have been written all over
with the names of battles fought and
won.
Need we marvel that such a hero
should have been the idol of the army :?
That his eccentricities should have been
magniied? This modest hero became a
singular stage character and to the
Catalogue "Old Noll,' 'sThe Little Cor
poral," and Light Horse Harry" is to
be added "Stonewall," "Old Jack"
His habits-his very uniform were
scanned and magnifed in this spirit of
humorous exaggeration. He went to
bed booted and spurred. His servant
was required to throw upon him buckets
of icy water in puris naturalibus; his
lips were ever moving in ejaculatory
prayer-these things in Stonewall Jack
son We're strange or comic, and became
at once the food of popular stories.
At Fredericksburg General Stuart
dressed Stonewali jackson IN a gorgeous
uniform; superb dark, blue overcoat,
and cap dazzling with gold lace. He
passed down the lines almost unobserv-
ed and soldier asked where is "Old
Jack" why don't he come on? Didn't
you see him? replied another Why ne
passed here half hour ago. What, that
fellow with the fine coat and cap? No,
sir, that wasn't "0ld Jack"
If sound of distant cheering broke
upon the ear a soldier would say: There
goes "Old Jack or a rabbit" You might
have seen crowd of ragged soldiers
upon the road cheering, and the object
of this excitement would soon appear
An officer Of high rank in an old faded
eoat--with his cap in his hand-bis chin
aloft; his eyes half closed who passed
at full gallop with his staff strung along
behind him. Brigade after brigade would
echo the cheer, until jackson had 70.
tired from view.
AT Chantilly the enemy were advanc-
ing their cavalry, and the battle sannad
ABOUT 10 commence. Jackson was Wing
against tree and with chin depressed
and hands folded meeBly upon his bosom
was fast asleep. Did he fall asleep that
day at Chantilly murmering a PRAYER?