The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-06-13

mountain on August y, 1857, and ate
the lapse OF three months M1j. T.. L
, Paxton, member Of General Jackson
staf, wos promoted to the rank O
brigadicr general, and assumed com
mand. General Paxton was killed a
Chunc, on May 3l 1863 tn,
day after General Jack son was NOR tai
~ wounded.
o. the 10th day OF May, 1863, Col. ]
A. Walker, Of the Thirteenth Eirgini,
Infantry, WAS promoted and assigned
to the command. He remained In com
mand until at Spottsylvania c. II. the
brigade was annihilatcd aud Us name
never again appeared on the rolls 0
the Confederate armies. The small
remnant left WAS consolidated with the
lrag gmcnts OF Johnsou's 9 division into one
small brigade, and tho famous old bri-
gade, which for three years had
breasted the storms Of war on twenty
oatl leheld5, aud In combats and skir.
nishes innumerable, which had
marched thousands Of miles over val
ley, mountain and plain; which had ex.
ultantly borne aloft its battlehag in
summers heat and winters storm;
which had struggled for freedom on
The loiti,3t peaks I tue Alleg han les,
al the Mcdowell. Ua tie rocky slope 3
Of Culp's hill, at Gettysburg, in the
swamp o. the ChlckGhominy, and had
Lever ldtered In tho darkest hO lr,
passed into history. But in passing it
lclt lame as bright rs the stars, as
enduring rs the ages. The beautiful
Shenandoah valley is illed with the
memories OF its triumphant marches
ana brilliant victories. The traveller
who today gazes on the placid bosom
OF the daughter OF the stars" or on
the bold peaks Of the Massunutton,
thlnks not OF the dusky warriors W hose
language Is perpetuated in mountain
aud stream, or Of the X nights of the
Golden Horseshoe, led by the royal
governor, who first scaled the towering
heights Of the Blue Ridge and set the
iJot OF white men in the great Valley
OF Virginia, or On the Eairfaxes, once
Droprietors Of this lofty field; or on
Washington, the youthful surveyor,
Win chains and compass; but of Stone
wall Jackson and his men. The waters
OF the Shenandoah, as they glide peace
tul'y through fertile fields to the gor-
geous pass at Harper's Ferry, where
It's tide mingies with the Potomac,
murnur OF Jackson and Ewell, OF
Eirly and Ashby. The rugged Mas,a.
mutton springing midway from the vale
anu the majestic blue mountains which
guard these boundaries OF the valley,
stand as silent eternal sentinels over
the imperisbable fame of the brave
soldiers who wore the gray and fought
,or the cause and FOR the land they
loved.
The old brigade was known at diff.
ierent tines by several names. at
Manassas In July, 1861, it was cffi fi.i.lly
designated the First Virginia bri.
gade." Afterward the brigades were
called by the name of their command
ers, and 1t WAS Garuetts, Winder's,
paxton's and Walkers brigade. After
General Walker was assigned to the
com mand, 1T was officially designated
as the "Stonewall brigade, which
name II bore on the rolls OF the Army
OF Northern Virginia for one year, and
until it ceased to exist.
All the brigadier generals except
Walker were killed in battle, and he
was severely wounded at Spottsylvania,
=. ID. Winder Was killed at Cedar
Mountain on August o, 1862. Jackson
died OF wounds received at Chancel-
lorsville on May 2l, 1863. Garnett was
Killed at Gettysburg on July 81, 1863.
Besides the regular commanders, the
Old brigade was temporarily com
manded for brief periods by regimental
officers, and several of these were
killed In battle.
Colonel Allen, of the Second regi-
ment, was killed at Cold Harbor.
Colonel Baylor, OF the Fifth, was killed
while commanding the b igade at
Second Manassas.
Colonels Neff, Funk, Bolts, Randolph
and Colston were all killed or died
from wounds received In battle.
That there were other troops In the
Confederate army as brave and deserv-
Ing as the Stonewall brigade Is not to
be gainsaid; but 1T is praise enough to
say that there were none Drawer or
better In the Confederate or Federal
armies. That this famous brigade was
not on every field up to its highest
mark is undoubtedly true, as it Is of all
troops. for 1t WAS unfortunate In losing
80 many commanders and In the pum-
ber OF regimental officers temporarily
In command by seniority. All were not
skllltul and ethcient or possessed OF the
confidence Of the men. The finest, the
brayest soldiers In the world will be.
come unsteady and Inefficient when led
by timid and incompetent commanders.
The old adage, "Show me his company
and will show you the man." may bo
truthfully paraphrased, "ShOw me
the officer and | will show you the
soldier"
On two occasions one OF the brayest
and staunchest brigades in the Army
OF Northern Virginia behaved badly
under hre, because they believed the
colonel temporarily in command was
wanting In the courage and skill to
lead them properly.