Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1909-11-24

! wv 1NAN'Ntoe w hOh VII
= Confederate army was reorganize,
in the spring of 1862 John G. Boud
became our captain.
From the time we were ordered
: to Harper's Fer until the 9th O
D April, 1865, 1 bad one furlough {
o that for Is days; during that time
was in every battle fought by the
9th Regiment except lst manassas
was wounded three times, once IN
the leg, once in the thigh and the
third time through the top of the
head. During that time l was twice
/ captured, but managed to escape be-
fore | reached prison. My pris-
oner's parole, that was give me on
the morning OF the 9th of April.
1868, is now in the possession OF my
son. Charles.
The day that Gen. Jackson died
OF his wounds at the Chandler
House" l was on duty at the Corps
headquarters as one OF the detail.
This was on Sunday, the 10th day OF
May, 1863. Thus it will be seen
that my acquaintance began with
Gen. Jackson when he came to Lex.
ington to live and ended with his
death. The jackson Monument"
that stands in the Lexington GENE.
tory vas completed in juno, 1891,
and before the unwilling ceremon-
les took place the Jackson Memoir.
ial Association" with the consent OF
Mrs. Jackson, had me to open the
graves and remove the remains OF
him and his daughters and place
them under the monument. Col.
James K. Edmonson, Capt. John c.
Boude and E. ] Leyburn were
present. Mr.. Leyburn had been
appointed to supervise the work,
but all the labor was done by
me and my colort d help. The three
men whom have just named l at.
forwards buried while | had the
cemetery. We began work about
one o'clock in the morning, and had
everything completed by six
o'clock.
Some friends OF Gen. Jackson had
planted (what was told to be) a ,
'Paulander tree" about the close OF
he war, which stood right on the I
'dge OF the grave. In 1891 when the \
!rsve was opened the free was fully
S large as mans body and on &C.
cunt OF its size, roots and position 1
n the cemetery, Mrs. Jackson had
ne to remove 1t. l had the body of .
his tree sawed into walking cane
rood OF which 1 presented one each r
D President Cleveland, DR.. LATER
y, Col. Edmonson. Capt. Boude
nd other Confederates OF note.
The casket in which the remains :,
Gen. Jackson had been buried, :
as made Of cast iron" with a U
lass face and was as solid as ever N
hen opened. The wooden box con.
lining the casket was decayed and ID
'e decayed wood was hard to dis. n
nguish from the clay.
The tree had very deep roots, and III
il stood at one end OF the grave, d.
le root nearly as large as a mans
m came out and ran along on top "
the coffin and at the distance OF
'out AZ feet the tip end OF the root
read out on the metal, and looked "r
ry much like palm leaf fan. =
| had the root cut off close to the sw
re, and preserved three feet OF the to
-ge end. | dressed and vanished
and still have it. AS o relic I
lue it very highly.
still have few of tho canes "a
81 that we're saved from the tree,
d since / rave learned through {
ur letter that DR.. Hopkins is o ~
lie old veteran, il he will accept
and pay express charges l will Nv
ID him across the continent one =
the canes from the tree, under X
shade OF which, Gen. Jackson ru
long reposed after having cross ca
the river OF death; and with this Z
ssage please present the best on az
'hes OF an old Confederate who Ma
= long, hard service. TO another All
o Jared likewise. l still remem.
you, Mr.. Wilson. pleasantly and Goa
your future welfare and happi. oSe Wv.
S you have my very best wishes. un'
~ sincerely, your friend, Bor
W. C. CuAprroN a,