Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 19.djvu/321

 General Thomas J. Jackson. 315

battle. He would get a few men together, leave them to rally some others, and find that his first squad was gone. He was swearing outrageously. He had his long sword out and was riding up and down the little straggling line that he had when Jackson rode up. The latter had seen the disaster from his point of observation, and had come over to correct it if possible. On his way he ordered the Stonewall brigade, which had been left in reserve, at a 'double quick,' but rode on in front of them to the scene of the trouble. He had lost his hat in the woods, and had his sword out. It was the only time I ever saw him with his sword out in battle. As soon as Wal- ker saw him he stopped swearing. General Jackson, apparently simply conscious that Walker was using his efforts to rally the men, said: 'That's right, General; give it to them.' General Walker continued his work and in his own way.

" I was one day moving some wounded from the church, in Port Republic, men who had been hurt when Ashby was killed, just before the battle of Port Republic, when the enemy sent two pieces of artil- lery close up to the town and began shelling the village. They fired at the church steeple, as the most prominent point, and it was diffi- cult for me to make the wagoners and ambulance drivers wait until the wounded were put in these conveyances. I was riding up and down the line of wagons and ambulances, swearing at the men in a right lively manner. I did not know that General Jackson was in a mile or two of me, when I felt his hand upon my shoulder and he quietly asked me: ' Doctor, don't you think you could get along without swearing ? ' I told him I would try, but I did not know whether I would accomplish it or not.

" His habits of life were very simple. He preferred plain, simple food and generally ate right heartily of it. Corn bread and butter and milk always satisfied him. He used no tobacco and rarely ever drank any whiskey or wine. One bitter cold night at Dam No. 5, on the Potomac river, when we could light no fire because of the proximity of the enemy, I gave him a drink of whiskey. He made awry face in swallowing it, and I said to him: ' Isn't the whiskey good ?' He answered : 4 Yes, very ; I like it, and that's the reason I don't drink it.' "

OTHER BIOGRAPHICAL DATA.

Thomas Jonathan Jackson was born in Clarksburg, W. Va., (then a part of Virginia,) January 21, 1824. At the age of eighteen he