Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1903-07-11
PAYS SPLENDID TRIBUTE
To the Memory Of Great Con-
federate Captain.
DOUGLAS WAR RECOLLECTION
'SiouewalI" Iscksoq's Religious Beliefs
Written Of by Gallant Soldier

town, known throughout this section
as gallant Confederate officer, writes
ei4tertainingly of the great Confeder-
ate general, Stonewall jackson. AS
General Douglas was member OF
General Jackson's staff during the war
and a close personal friend of the
great leader, what he saws bears the
stamp of authority He saws:
Much has been said to give false
impression of the religious character
of Stonewall Jackson. He was a
member of the Presbyterian Church,
a strict Christian and a liberal gentle
man. But he was neither bigot nor
Pharisee. He held his own devotions
in secret. He made no parade of his
religion nor pressed his creed upon
any one; he was not Croinweilian in
this regard he believed other paths
lead to heaven just as surely as the
one he was travelling. On his staff
were the sons of the Episcopal, Reform
ed and Presbyterian churches. and
some others who were verv much in
the dark as to their religious faith.
The fact is this Presbyterian elder.
as he is sometimes called became such
by marriage The first pIavers ever
said over him were those of his pious
Methodist mother, although it appears
in his youth he was not more pious
than the average young man. When
in Mexico lie was nearly persuaded to
be Romanist. He afterward was a
member of the Episcopal Church, and
Church. to which his wife belonged.
When the Louisiana Brigade applied
for chaplain jackson recommended a
priest. as large majority were Roman
Catholics.
His own devoutness was illustrated by
the purity of his life, not by profes-
sions, and his faith and simplicity were
we'll known to his troops. He often
attended their services and their prayer
meetings, night and day, and kneeling
in the midst of the same SCARED veter-
an she had led in so many battles he led
them in prayer to the Lord of Hosts.
was hushed; dropping their cards and
amusements, old men and young
gathered around him. standing and
kneeling with uncovered heads, in
silence. A thousand hands would
have been raised to smite the impious
wretch who dared to scott when Stone
wall Jackson prayed.
In Jackson's military life there
was no dangerous precociousness. He
never sought promotion, but never ex-
pressed doubt of his ability to man.
age any command given him. Heput
forth no useless strength. What was
in him shall never be known, for he
went to his grave with the richness
of the mine unexplored. He was equal
TO each new occasion as it arose, and
in his movements there was no monot-
ony, except in success. Had he sur
vivcd Charlottesville new field of
trial awaited him.
Whether it be true or not as stated.
that the order had been written assign
ing him to the command of the Army
of Tennessee. it is more than probable
he would have gone to take command
of that unfortunate army. Had lie
gone there, with the prestige he had
gained and the hopes he would have
inspired, who can say to what end
the war would have been prolonged?
Thus the shot which struck Jackson
crippled both armies of the Confsder-
acy, and from that day it tottered to is
fall
can only refer to the resignation
of General Jackson in January, 1862,
by which the Confederacv nearly lost
his service. This step was caused by
the INSTRUMENTATION of General LoI-
ing, who afterward held command
under the Khedive of Egypt. General
Loring had served in Mexico as Gen
eral Jackson's senior in rank. and he
was impatient at being his subordinate
in Virginia. Being ordered to Romnev
bv General Jackson after the Bath
trip, he prevailed on the war Depart
ment to countermand the order. Gen
eral jackson promptly resigned, and
there was at once storm. The army
became excited, the people of the val
ley indignant; Jackson was cool and
immovable. The Governor of Virginia
interposed, and the War Department
finally yielded. Loring was sent else
where and Jackson resumed his COM
mand, and this was the last time the
War Department ever undertook to
intefere with General Jackson proper
authority.