The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-11-02
STONEW ALL'S WAY.
An English Soldiers Life of the
Great General.

An English Soldiers Life of the
Great General.
WAS A GREAT STRATEGlST.
The Story Of Manansas and the
Shenandoah Campaign as
Seen Through Foreign
ers Eyes.
The New York Sun of Sunday fills
an entire page with a review Of a life
of Stonewall Jackson by Lieutenant
Colonel G.. f. r. Henderson, of the
British army, professor of military art
and history in the English army staff
college. The work is in two large vol
umes and deals with Jackson from the
standpoint of the strategist and the
purely military man. Col. Henderson
considers Jackson and his campaigns
professionally and after access to
all official records. In a preface he
says:
1T was not on the battlefield alone
thai Jackson's capacity for war was
strilingly brought out. His time and
thoughts were more occupied by STRAIT
egy-that is by combinations made out
Of the enemy's sight-tlan by tactics,
that is. by manoeuvres executed in the
enemy's presence. Unfortunately iVr
the fate Of armies, strategy. even
among soldiers, is an unpopular science,
requiring, both in exposition and i'll
practice, constant and careful study
of the map, the closest computation Of
time and space, grasp Of many factors
and unwavering attention to the vari-
Gus steps in the problems it presents.
If it were generally understood that in
regular warfare success depends on
something more than the ability to
handle troops in battle. many far
reaching mistakes might be avoided.
The campaigns of cur civil war show
how much may be achieved, even with
relatively feeble means, by men who
have studied strategy and possess the
character necdful for its successful
practice: they also show, not whit
less forcibly, what awful sacrifices may
be exacted from nation ignorant that
such a science exists.
After following Jacksons S early lite,
West Point and Mexican war expert
ence, his work in the Virginia Military
Institute and the organization Of his
brigade, Colonel Henderson narrates
his part in the first battle Of Manassas.
He evidently thinks that the Confeder
ates were beaten at noon, when the
Federals were ready to move upon the
position which Jackson, like Bee and
Barlow, had been ordered to defend.
Hearing the heavy fire to his left in
creasing in intensity, Jackson had turn
ed the head of his column toward the
most pressing danger, and had sent
messenger to Bee to announce his COM
ing. AS he pushed rapidly forward,
part Of the troops he intended to sup
port swept by in disorder to the rear
Imboden's battery came dashing back,
and that officer, meeting Jackson, ex-
pressed with profanity which was
evidently displeasing to the general his
disgust at being left without support.
"Tll support your battery" was the
brief answer. ''Unlimber right here.
At this moment appeared General Bee,
approaching at full gallop, and Bee and
Jackson met face to face. The latter
was cool and composed; Bee was cover
ed with dust and sweat, his sword in
his hand and his horse foaming.
General" cried Bee, "they are beat
ing US back "Then, sir, was the
reply, "we will give them the bayonet. "
The thin lips closed like wise, and
Jackson's brigade, pressing up the
slope, formed into line on the eastern
eGge of the Henry Hill. Jackson's
determined bearing inspired Lee with
renewed confidence He turned bride
and galloped back to the ravine, where
his officers were attempting to reform
their broken companies. Riding into
the midst Of the throng he pointed with
his sword to the Virginia regiments
deployed in well ordered array on the
height above. ''Look!" he shouted.
there is Jackson standing like stone
wall! Rally behind the Virginians!"
The men took up the cry, and the nap
py augury of the expression applied at
a time when hearts were failing and
defeat seemed imminent, was remem-
bered when the danger had passed
away.
Colonel Henderson says the position
chosen by Jackson was the strongest
he could possibly have chosen and that
his keeping his brigade lying down and
having it to rise, FIRE and charge to
meet the advancing Federal centre il
lustrates his faculty of doing exactly
the right thing at the right time. He
expresses the belief that had Jackson
been in command the Confederate army
would have been in Washington the
day after the fight and quotes General
Mcclellan and Secretary Stanton to
prove that the capture would have been
easy and Jackson himself to prove that
he would have undertaken it if he had
been authorized to do so.
The valley campaign Of the winter Of
1S61-62 is thus reviewed:
On Nov. 4th, 1861, Jackson was as
signed to the command of the Shenan-
doah Valley, embracing the northern
part of the area between the Allegha
nies and the Blue Ridge. More than
200, 600 Fedcrals were prepared to in
wade Virginia Mcclellan, before Nc
Dowell was held back, reckoned on
placing 10000 men at West Point:
Fremont in West Virginia commanded.
0,0OG including the force in the
kanawaha Valley, and Banks had