Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1913-06-26
How StonswalI Jackson Died

was perhaps the most distinguished gen.
eral of the Confederacs, died fifty years
ago. May 10. as the result of wounds
received at the battle Of Chanceilors-
! vile, May 2, 1863 In the confusion Of
I the battle and falling dusk he was shot
down by southern troops. The story is
graphically told by Mary Johnston in
her novel, '.Fhe Long Roll. .
The moon was coming up. She sill
vered the wilderness about Dowdalr &
tavern. She made pallor around the
group of staff and field officers gather
ed beside the road. Her light gIinted
on Stonewall Jackson's saber and on
the worn braid of the old forage cap.
The clamor about Charlottesville,
where, in hot haste, Hooker, made dis
positions, streamed east and west,
meeting and blending with, westward
a like distraction of forming commands
of battle lines made in the darkness
among thiCkets. The moon was high.
but not observed. Behind him Captain
Wilbourne of the signal corps, two
aides and several couriers, jackson
rode along the plank road.
There was regiment drawn across
this way through the wilderness. on
the road and in the woods, on either
hand. In places in the wilderness the
scrub that fearfully burned the next
day and the next was even now afre;
and gave. though uncertainty and dim
| ly certsin illumination. By it the
regiment was perceived. It seemed
composed of tall and shadowy men.
What troops are these?" asked the
general.
Lanes North Carolinians, sir, the
Eighteenth.
AS he passed the regiment started to
cheer. He shook his head.
Don't men. We want quiet now, .
A few hundred yards from Chancell-
orsville he c h k d Little
Sorrel. The horse stood, fore feet
planted. Horse and rider, they stood,
and listened. Hooker's reserves were
up About the Chancellor house, on
the Charlottesville ridge, they were
throwing up iptrencements, They
were digging the earth with bayunets.
they were heaping it up with their
hands.
Turning Little Sorrel, he rode hack
along the plank road toward his own
lines. The light OF the burning brush
had sunken. The cannon smoke float
ing in the air, the very thick woods,
made all things obscure.
stonawall Jackson came toward the
Carolinians. He rode quickly past the
dark shell of house sunken among
the pines. There were with him seven
or eight persons. The horses hoofs
made trampling on the earth road
The Woods-were deep,-the ohscu.ity
great. Suddenly cut OF the brush rang
shot, an accidentally discharged rifle
Some gray soldiers among Lane 5
| tensely awaiting ranks spoke from the
core of fearful dream; Yankee
| cavalry''
s.Fire! called an officer of the
Eighteenth North Carolina.
The volley. striking >diagonally across
the road, implied several saddles.
Stonewall Jackson, the aides and Will
bourne wheeled to the left, dug spur
and would have plunged into the road.
"Firep' said the Carolinians, dressed
to the left of the road and fred.
Little Sorrel, maddened, dashed into
the wood. An oak bough struck his
| rider, almost bearing him from. the
saddle. With his right hand, from
which the blood was streaming, in
| which q bullet was imbedded, he caught
the bride, managed to turn the agon-
lied brute into the road again. There
| seemed wild sound, a confusion of
voices, Someone had stopped the fir
ing. my God, men! You are firing
| into us!2 In the road were the aides.
They caught the rein, stopped the
horse Wilbourne put up his arms
General General! yeu are not hurt2
Hold there! Morrison Leigh!''
They laid him on the ground ,benea tn
the pines and they fired the brushwood
for light, One rode off for Doctor
Mcclure and another with penknife
cut away the sleeve from the left arm,
! through which had gone two bullets.
A mounted man came at a gallop and
threw himself from his horse. 1t was
A. P. Hill.
General, General! You are not
much hurt?"
Yes, think am, said Stonewall
jackson And my wounds are from
my own men.
The aides lifted the wounded general.
No one, said Hill, must tell the
troops who was wounded" The other
opened his eyes. "Tell them Simply
that you have wounded officer. Gen
eral Hill, you are in command now.
Press right on.
A litter was found and brought and
Stonewah jackson was laid upon it.,
The little procession moved toward
Dowdall's tavern. A shot pierced the
arm of one the bearers, loosening his
hold Of the litter. It tilted The gen
eral fell heavily to the ground, injuring
afresh the wounded limb, striking and
bruising his side. They raised him,
pale now and silent, and at last they
struggled through the wood to a little
clearing.
On May Stonewall jackson was
carefully moved from the Wilderness to
Quincy s station. Here was large.