Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 20.djvu/35

 Generals Jackson and Ewell. 29

power with God, and that this fact carried with it practically all the rest that the New Testament taught, and that having come to that conclusion he asked admission to church fellowship."

WHAT COLONEL EWELL SAYS.

Colonel Ewell says respecting this letter that " if correctly reported the writer or his informant made mistakes, as some of its statements are supported by no known records; indeed, are directly contra- dicted by them. I regret I cannot deny what is said of General Ewell's profanity, but since 'Uncle Toby' told that 'our army in Flanders swore terribly,' armies of English-speaking people have followed the bad example. Our army in Mexico 'swore terribly.' General Twiggs, that he might inspire the young volunteer officers with a suitable respect for the regulars, 'swore terribly' when in their presence, and would scold his staff officers for not following his example."

When, in 1861, General Ewell found that he had men to deal with of a different type than his old " regulars," and heeding the judicious advice given him by the Rev. Dr. Hoge, soon he began to abate the bad habit. He was a church-goer when he had the opportunity, and his skepticism did not exceed that of the average man of the world. No council of war was called by Jackson during the Pope campaign in 1862, for the only one he ever had, met March n, 1862, at Win- chester, of which General Echols was a member. General Ewell was never examined by the session of any Presbyterian church, and therefore never gave his experience in the manner described, nor did he join that church. In the spring of 1863 he was confirmed by Bishop Johns at St. Paul's, Richmond, as a member of the Episcopal church.

ORIGIN OF THE STORY.

The whole story is founded on the following extract from Dr. Dabney' s Life of Jackson : "Jackson's army, marching from the Valley to join General Lee, encamped at Ashland, June 25, 1862, late at night. Two of the commanders of divisions went to Jackson's tent and advised that he should move the army by two columns, on parallel roads, instead of by one. He listened respectfully, but requested that they would wait his decision until morning. When they left him the one said to the other : ' Do you know why General