Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-10
General stOnewaIl Jncksons
barrasrment.
(Alleghany Sentlne

(Alegna0y Oeuliic''
Upon his arrival at Manassas ,
Jackson's embarrassment began -.
| commanding the old Stonewai So
of less than $500 men. he found tue H., NJ
accommodations not OF the amplest hii'u
and in some instances there were not
beds enough I'm the hotels for each Oh nus
men to have 4 separate bed TO hlniseli'
II f. n fact. therefore, that two, III some
cases. had to occupy lodgings together'
This was very annoying TO Generai 'acA
son. he being such stickler LOT tne las
tidious comfort OF his men. Thus IL pro-
yoked him TO find that his men were re-
aured to sleep in that manner, ana sofne-
times with two beds in one ROOM
After that, when he commanded Ill
vision. and later still, a corps IT became
inconvenient for some Of the smaller VII
lagos and country places In the valley OF
Virginia to always furnish fine, large
rooms. with separate beds, for all his
army.
At Kernstown some Of the rooms were
not properly carpeted, nor finely furnish
ed otherwise.
Once. on the our march to Romney
there was not enough turkey or oyster
pie TO go around. and II was said some OF
the men had only two meals that day. On
our way back the venison stew and chick
en- salad ran out before each man couio
secure HIS full share. 1t was damp one
NIGHT on that trip, and before General
jackson could get all his men hotel ac-
commodations some OF them got wet. Tnen
the Generals chagrin was quite notice
able. though he seldom got mad enough
TO swear; or, at least, he had such COM
mand OF language as 10 control his tenn
per on such occasions. Even when our
ho ref
swearing.
In crossing tho Potomac river once, to
call on General Mcclellan and his army
at Sharpsburg some OF our men got their
feet wet, and II was sometimes inconve-
nlent to keep big army fully supplied
with cough candy for damp feet. Some
OF our men died once from getting too
damp before they could get into the ho-
tells for the night.
1t sometimes occurred that our haver-
sacks would not contain any mince- or
lemon-pies for several consecutive days;
and our old Stonewall Brigade went two
whole days and nights once without any
cake or lemonade.
General Jackson always preferred that
his men should do without whiskey and
high wines, for sometimes we were with
out these drinks for days.
We had marched one day in the hot
sun. without umbrellas more than four
miles, and so we were permitted to sleep
the next morning until nearly o'clock.
On very brisk business occasions we
used TO whip two or three Yankee arm
ies day, If we could catch them. This
we always did when they had us sur
rounded. When Milroy and Fremont and
Shields and Banks used to cut us off and
surround us. General Jackson would let
US escape after them and take their ra-
tions.
We captured several Of Banks's wagons
one time, with army stores in them. and
MANNED several Of his horses and mules.
our men hallooed at Banks and his men
to stop, but they wouldn't stop, so we
shot at them. and some of them got hit.
as they have left their graves i'm the Val
lev vet.
The Chinese laundry was not a fixed
institution in General Jackson's army.
His men did not have a clean white shirt
every day Some of them had only one
collar a day, and only one pair Of cuffs.
One stocking for each foot had to do
sometimes for two or three DAYS. and
when we got very far away from our
wagon train some of us could only have
one pair of fine shoes or high boots. with
out rubbers.
we ulu not always nave doctors enough
10 keep many of the men sick at ono
time, though several died. / heard.
General Jackson's men were I'm several
fights where a great many shots were ex-
changed. He himself was no coward. and
his old brigade liked that. He said, too.
that his men were pretty fair soldiers. A
number OF them got hurt but they never
could be whipped. Nobody ever did whip
General Jackson and his men, while he
lived. God was good TO him I'm never
letting him see his old brigade in a fight
it did not win.
We OF the old Stonewall Brigade who
are living to-day do feel so sorry for the
noble soldiers Of this late Spanish-Amer-
lean war; They have had to undergo
such hazards and hardships. and they do
look so weary and sad, and hungry and
sore. fighting for their dear rights and
homes and fresides. by the side OF the
noble and heroic niggers
c. a. FONERDEN.