New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-29
STONEWALL JACKSON.
AN ENGLIsHMAN's STUDY OF THE
AMERICAN GENERAL.

IL
cTvII. WAR BY Iaeuterant-C Colonel @. F. r.
Henderson. Major. the York and I b,nMs fp
REGIMENT With Portraits Maps AND rams, In
Two Volumes Octave. PIP. XIV $50 Gal. Long
mans. Green q Co.
This is an admirable book on an inspiring
theme No soldier more brilliant tnan stone
wall jackson fought on either side In the CNil
War and none possessed more vigorous ana
fascinating personality. What is more. no otner
Southern general was so distinctly the embodi-
-.rt ~ whatever OF moral force and martial
spirit lay behind the great revolt, and there was
enough OF both to make the defence OF virginia
IN which he played so conspicuous part one OIL
the most heroic episodes in history And Lieu
senant-Colonel Henderson's book Is worthy OF
its subject Filled with a fine enthusiasm TOT
the man and his deeds. It Is written Win
breadth OF view and degree Of literary skill
which make II notable not merely as biography,
but also as history and as literature
II is the fate Of many men OF action TO ne
ecljnsed by their own deeds. In Jacksons case
however there is permanent interest IN the
man quite independent OF the stirring drama IN
which he was an actor He is and will be re-
membered quite as much for what he was as FOR
what he did: and II is not the least Of the merits
OF these volumes that, though they are ainios'
wholly devoted to narrative or military eA-
ploits when they have been perused TO the emo
II is not the strategy Of the Valley Campaign
nor the stern defence of the West Wood al An
tietam nor the great flank movement at Chah-
cellorsville but the character of the nero OF
these events that most deeply impresses the
readers memory and imagination What TINS
character was the public has learned from the
sources upon which Leutenant-Colonel Hender-
son has. for the most part relied for his own
information; but If he has been able to throw
no new light upon 1t he has certainly renoereo
its essential qualities more clear and unmls-
taxable To the few who knew jackson peiore
the war he was known merely as reucent'
modest upright man. formal in conduct pam
fully conscientious. and Of no conspicuous iii'ei
lectual power Even when the time came lor MS
latent energy and military genius 10 maiites'
themselves though ali could appreciate the aoiii-
~ of the brilliant and victorious general ie"
had the opportunity to understand tue 'e''
moral significance Of the man. Inc coh'eiipo-
rary view Of him was thus very largely us
torted one BY the South he was aooreu as
sagacious leader in the field soldier OF oounu-
less energy and daring. who could De lihpilci'iS
,r,s,ed and whose strategy and tactics seldom
failed: but he was also looked at soine"n"'
s,kance as a narrow precision bigot in relig-
rather unintelgible type. BY the North he was
heartily feared as an enemy and held 10 De
dark and conscience-stricken man. who in join
ing the Rebellion had deliberately sinneo
against his better nature-a legend immortal
,vea nv Whittier in one Of the most curiously
mistaken estimates of character in all literature.
rwo things are evident however, in the light
OF the later and better information which Is
IN hand |
seen that Jackson's character. instead of being
narrow eccentric and unintelligible. was marked
by singular breadth. naturalness and simplicity.
Secondly we see that to imagine him deliber-
atelv violating his conscience would be like
imagining the sun rising In the west. To put
the facts In a word, he was a Puritan-but a
Puritan stripped of all that makes Puritanism
ranellant The !mmovabe religious faith, the
nrofound reverence for duty. the orderlness and
sobriety Of life the downright sincerity. these
things were there, but the bigotry the narrow
ness the arrogance were absent. Within the
outer shell of reticence and formality lay
eeniai. broad and tolerant mind. Like all strong
men. he had strong convictions and passions.
but II was only when his conceptions of right
and duty were involved that the latent stern
ness and infexibility found expression-an ex-
preston marked sometimes 1t must be admit
ted by an almost savage intensity. Add to
these traits unwavering fixity or purpose, untir-
'fng energy in doing the work he cut out for HIM
self and a masterful WILL and the main outlines
of his character are complete. When war be-
came inevitable he threw himself into the strug-
gle with an absolute conviction Of the justice Of
the Southern cause. and did his duty as he saw
n with an undivided mind. IF / know myself.
he said. "all that am and all that 1 have is at
the service Of my country" And one cannot but
recognize the nobility Of this attitude. even
though one must regret his conception of Ameri-
can patriotism.
In looking at all the circumstances Of the war
and its results is inclined to regard the
moral character Of the man. as we have thus
come to know 1t. as of greater significance to
the South than the prowess Of the general. The
time Is not long past when for most of us Of the
North "secessionist" and traitor were synony-
nous terms; and 1t would. in fact. be a gross
classification Of the history Of the Rebellion to
place the conduct OF the South a whole upon
that high moral plane which a struggle for con-
sciences sake implies. But 1t would be fearful
thing for the South. and for the whole country.
II Il were clear that the desperate struggle was
maintained by the Confederates without the sup
port Of q profound belief in the Righteousness Of
their cause. II such a thing were possible one
would as an American, refuse to believe it
Happily a character such that Of Jackson
demonstrates the fact that there were motives,
however mistaken, underlying the Rebellion that
could and did develop the full strength Of what
is best in human nature: and it will do more
than anything else TO prove to posterity that
the Anglo-Saxon conscience as strong
the one side Of the Line as on the other. AS his
biographer says: "In the cause of progress and
OF peace he accomplished nothing. The princi-
pie he fought for the right of secession lives no
longer, even in the South. He won battles He
enhanced the reputation of the American SOL
der He proved in his own person that the
manhood Of Virginia had suffered no decay.
And this was ALL" Gladly substituting "Ameri-
ca" for Virginia" may well add, land this