The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1901-08-01

spite Of my resolution to consider my
hands free Of Jackson's blood, seem to
drive me inevitably to the conclusion
that it was the bullet from my musket
that was responsible for his death.
We pickets at the time of the firing
were stationed at close intervals
around our lines. l was somewhat
nearer to General Jackson than the
nearest Of the others. was In posi-
ton to get a good view Of his profile
through the brush. l was one of the
finest marksmen in my regiment, and l
undoubtedly drew fair mark upon
Jackson as he was riding slightly in
front of his staff. The angle at which
the mortal bullet struck him indicated
that it had been fred from the place
where / was standing or near there.
James Power Smith of Richmond,
formerly captain aid-de-camp on the
staff of General Stonewall Jackson,
gives another version of the shooting.
He says:
1t was between and 8 o'clock on the
night of May 2, 1863, that the advance
Of Jackson's lines on the west of Chan
cellorsville came to halt
The charge had been so rapid, the
forces of the enemy so variously form
ed, the country so broken and the for
est so dense that the advanced troops
of Roder and Coleton's divisions had
become broken, mingled and disorder
ed. General Roder, whose division had
borne the brunt of the charge, asked
that he might rally and reform his
troops, and General A. P. Hill was di-
rected to bring his division forward
and form the front line.
While Hills troops were moving up
and filing right and left of the turn
pike road General Jackson was i'm
patient Of the delay. He wished with
out pause to press his lines upon Chan
cellorsville that he might move other
troops to the north and rear of that
point and cut the enemy off from re-
treat by the river fords. In his intense
ardor he rode beyond the lines, along
the right of the road, desiring to see
for himself the position of the enemy
and what was before him. Crossing
small water course, he rode up the slope
beyond until he saw q line Of the
Federal infantry lying on their arms.
Turning, he returned on the same
side of the road attended by three or
more of his staff and several couriers
and signalmen. The troops on the
south side Of the road not knowing
Tint ConaraI To oh con xuoc in Tho fron+
hearing the tramp of horses and sup
posing it to be the Advance of the enc
my, opened fire on the party, a COM
pany firing without orders. At least
three of the party were killed, includ-
ing Captain Boswell of his staff.
General Jackson, unhurt, spurred his
horse across to the north side of the
road, and there the right company Of
Vance's brigade, probably the Eight
zenith North Carolina infantry, fired
to the front. The general was per-
haps a few rods in front of the firing
line. He was struck about the same
moment by three balls. One pierced
his right hand and another struck the
left hand and passed around the wrist
n tuIN Ddll pdSSctl tnc CcUlcI
of the upper left arm and splintered
the bone to the elbow.
Keeling from the saddle, he was
caught by Captain Melbourne Of his
staff, who drew him from the saddle
and laid him beside the road and in
the shadow Of the trees. General A. 2.
Hill and some of his staff reached Gen
eral Jackson promptly. When l came
from the rear at this moment, General
Fill held the head and shoulder of
Jackson and said to me:
Captain, / fear the general is seri-
ously wounded. 1t must not be known
among our troops"
Apprehending that the general was
bleeding from a wound, cut up the
sleeve of his coat to the shoulder and
found the bleeding wound. With my
handkerchief l bound the arm tightly
near the shoulder, hoping to stay the
blood. A courier was sent for DR.. Nc
Guirp TacksOn'S medical directOr ond