Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-30
Tells of Suruiuor
of jackson S Staff
Lieutenant James Mercer Gar
nett Was Ordnance Officer at
Army Headquarters.
BY KATE MASON ROWLAND.

1t is not very generally known that
there lives now in Baltimore a Vir-
ginian who had the honor of serving
on General Jackson's stan. Major Nc
Henry Howard in his entertaining
book. "Rccollcctions of Maryland
Confederate Soldier. 1S61-1S65," says:
Lieutenant James Mercer Garnett,
one of the most capable staff officers
on battlefield l have known, rs a
VirEinan. but now living in Baltimore"
Mr.. Garnett, at my earnest solicita-
ton. has given me the following brief
account OF his association with our
great hero, Jackson. He writes be-
ginning with his early war record:
II enlisted in the Rockbrdge Artil-
lery, attached TO General Jackson's
Brigade. then at Winchester, on July
Il, 1861. on November is. 1861, l re-
ccivcd 4 commission as second lieuten-
ant of infantry i'm the regular Con-
federate army. with orders to report o
General Joseph f. Johnston. whose
headquarters were then at Centreville,
Va. On duly reporting to him, / re-
quested that / might be ordered to
report to Major-Gcncral T. ]. jackson.
then in command of the Valley district,
with headquarters at Winchester. as
had served with his command since
entered the service. This request was
readily granted, and on reporting to
General Jackson l was ordered to re-
port to Captain Watrs, OF the West
Augusta Guard. to drill this company
OF the Fifth Virginia Regiment. recent
~ transformed from infantry to artil-
lcry, in artillery drill.
One afternoon In December, 1861, not
long before Christmas, n courier rode
up TO my tent, and ! received an order
announcing me as chef of ordnance of
the Valley district. | could not have
been more surprised if the order had
l,D Il Il 4. MI
but l learned the cause OF it later.
lost no time in reporting TO General
Jackson and entering upon my duties.
served rs chief of ordnance of the
Valley district until April, 1862. This
position was on General Jacksons staff.
and reported to him daily TO receive
his orders with respect to ordnance
stores for his army. On the day after
the battle OF Kernstown (March IS,
1882, while General Jackson was ut
Woodstock, Va. l requested to be re-
lieved from duty as his chief of ord
nance. The reasons for this request
it is not necessary to detail here. l
recollect to this day his look of sur
prise and his remark: why So Mr..
Garnet; YOU are getting on very we'll.
| stated my rcasons-or what | con-
ceivcd to be such--and he merely re-
marked that he would relieve me as
soon as he could get an ordnance Of
ficer from Richmond / continued in
the discharge OF my duties, and about
month later | received an order an
nouncing my old school and college
mate Lieutenant Hugh II. Lee. rs chief
OF ordnance of the Valley district, and
ordering me to Acknowledgement
Charles s. Winder. commanding the
Stonewall Brigade. This was demotion
with a vengeance. but as had brought
it on myself, ! had nothing further
to say. and soon afterwards 1 was an
nounced by General Winder as chief
of ordnance of the Stonewall Brigade,
later called ordnance officer merely.
which term was opplied also TO ord
nance officers of division, the term.
chief Of ordnance, being limited TO
armies and corps.
never had a word of difference with
General Jackson while l served on his
staff, and. as far as ! know, he was
perfectly satisfied with tho discharge OF
my duties. At the battle of Cedar Run,
August 0. 1862. he had sent off all his
stan, and seeing him without any staff
officer, l rendered my services, which
were graciously accepted"