The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-07-19

The Circumstances Attcnding His Death.

Editor National Tribune: 1 read in
the issys Of june II the auer, s. "
Burnside as 70 Who tiI.aa S.5neSan.,
Jackson, his own men or the Yankees.
the circumstances under which he re-
ceiyed his wounds.
For the Information Of Mr.. Burnside
and the readers of The National Tribune
l quote the following from paper read
before the Military Historical Society Of
Massachusetts, at Boston, March 4, 1904.
by the Rev. James Tower Smith, d. D.,
formerly Captain and A. d. c. to Gen.
Jackson. The title OF said paper Is
''Stonewall Jackson and Chancellors-
ville,' and is published in Vol. v. page
353, OF the publications Of the above
mentioned society. Capt Smith. in de-
scribing Gen. Jackson's advance on Gen.
Howard's right flank and the circum-
stances under which he received his
wounds, writes as follows:
Between and 6 o'clock in the even
ing. Saturday, May 2, the disposition
was made across the Turnpike road
facing directly to the east and to Chan
cellorsville, Rode's Division in front.
with well-trained skirmish line; Col
ston. with Trimble's Division, in the
second line, and A. P. Hills Division In
column on the road. A bugle sounded
the advance from the center. and was
repeated from the far right and left,
and the long line of skirmishers sprang
eagerly through the forest. For mo-
ment all the troops seemed buried In
the depths of the gloomy thicket, and
then suddenly the echoes walked and
swept the country for miles, never fall
ing until heard at Hooker's headquar-
ters at Charlottesville. the wild rebel
yell of the Confederate lines. Never
/
thusiasm. Alas! for Howard and his
uniformed lines. his brigades scattered,
with guns stacked and officers asleep,
and butchers deep in the blood of
beeves. Across Talley's fields the rout
began; over at Hawkins Hill, on the
north of the road, Carl Schurz made a
stand. soon to be driven in the same
hopeless panic. By the quiet Wilder
ness Church in the vale, leaving wound
ed and dead everywhere, on into the
deep thicket again, the Confederate
lines press forward, Jackson on the
road In the center, with uplifted hand,
crying always, Forward men, forward:
press forwardn
Il, one of the young Aids. had been
directed to remain at the point where
the advance began. to keep open COM
munfcatiOn with the TANKS, and convey
certain orders to troops and batteries
coming up from the rear. About s
o'clock. in the twilight, supposing my
duty discharged at that point, l gath
cred few couriers, and, mounting a
fine black charger left by some fleeing
officer, 1 went forward to find Gen.
Jackson. Across two miles OF battle
field l rode, with its wounded and dead
OF both sides, its gathering groups Of
prisoners under guard, it's shattered and
kinds littering the ground. Reaching
an open field on the right, mile west
of Charlottesville, l found a group OF
mounted men near an old cabin. Turn
ing toward them, 1 found ROdes and
his staff. Gen. Jackson Is just ahead
on the road, Captain; tell him I will be
here at this cabin IL / am wanted A
hundred yards farther on the road
heard firing. company volley on the
right, and few moments later a COM
pany volley on the left. An Aid Of Gen.
A. p. Hill told me Jackson was wound
ed, and. squirting my horse into
sweeping gallop. l passed the line OF
found the Generals horse on the road
to the left. and rod beyond a group
OF men caring for wounded officer.
Leaptng from the saddle, ! found Gen.
Jackson lying on the road, with his head
on the breast OF Gen. A. p. Hill. In his
extreme ardor to press his front lines
on to Charlottesville, he had reluctant-
ly consented that the reserve division OF
A. p. Hill should be brought up and
placed in the front, and while the new
line was In formation the General rode
forward, with two or three OF his staff
and q number Of Signal Sergeants and
couriers. He passed the swampy de-
preston and began the ascent OF the
hill toward Charlottesville, when he
came upon a line Of the Federal infan-
try lying on their arms. Fired at by
one or two muskets, he turned and
came back toward his line, upon the
south side Of the road. AS he came
near the Confederate line. the left COM
pany, supposing the approaching horse
men to be party of the enemy. began
firing to the front, and two OF his party
fell from their saddles. Squirting his
horse across the road, he was met by a
second volley from the right company
OF Lanes North Carolina Brigade I'm
der this volley, when but a few rods
from his troops. the General received
three balls at the same instant. One
penetrated the palm Of his right hand
and was cut out that night from the
back OF his hand, second passed
through the left arm half way between
the shoulder and elbow 1t splintered
the bone to the elbow joint, and it sew
cred the artery. His horse turned quick
iy from the fire through the thick
bushes. which swept the cap from his
head and scratched his forehead, leav-
ing drops of blood to stain his face. AS
he lost his hold on his bride rein he
reeled from his saddle. and was caught
in the arms Of Capt. Wilbourne, OF his
staff, and laid upon the ground. There
came at once to his succor Gen. A. r
Hill and members of his staff. reached
his side at that moment, and made an
unskflled attempt to stay the blood
Couriers were sent for our Medical Dr.
rector, DIR. Mcguire. and for an ambu-
lance. Litter-bearers were brought from
the line near by, and under a searching
artillery fire we started to the rear.
Twice men who were bearing the
stretcher were shot down, and once the
wounded, fainting General fell to the
ground. At last, when 1t seemed an age
Of terrific fire, we reached an ambu-
lance.
AT the field hospital. in the Wilder
ness, after midnight. the left arm was
amputated near the shoulder and a ball
taken from the right hand. or the
party that gathered that night about
our disabled chief l am now the sole
survivor.
AT Guinea's Station. on the Fred
ericksburg Railroad, the next Sunday
afternoon at 3:15, May 10. the dying
soldier. like Wolfe at Quebec. was con-
tent to die and saving No no: let us