Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 32.djvu/106

 94 Southern Historical Society Papers.

[F'rona the Times-Dispatch May 29, 1904.J

"STONEWALL" JACKSON'S DEATH.

Wounded by His Own Men Last Order on the Battlefield.

The writer of the following article served under Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson in the war between the States. He says:

"General Lee's army was located on the south side of the Rap- pahannock river, near Fredericksburg, Va., in the winter of 1863. General Hooker's army was on the opposite side, and in the early spring crossed the Rappahannock. On the morning of May 2, 1863, General Stonewall Jackson received orders from General Lee to attack Hooker's rear, and forthwith Jackson put his corps in rapid marching order. About 5 P. M. Jackson had reached the desired location in the rear of Hooker's army and at once gave or- ders to attack the enemy. The movement of the Confederates was so sudden and terrific that the Federal troops were routed in the utmost confusion. The Confederates continued to advance until about 9 P. M. Jackson had paralyzed the right wing of Hooker's army and his men were stampeded in much disorder upon the cen- ter of Hooker's reserves. But the thick undergrowth rendered rapid pursuit almost impossible at night. At this hour the Confed- erate lines became somewhat entangled, in consequence of darkness and thick undergrowth, and it was necessary to halt the Confeder- ate force in order to reform the regiments. To complete the victory Jackson was about to swing his left, interpose his corps between Hooker's army and the Rappahannock river, and then cut off the retreat of the enemy.

At this critical moment, accompanied by Captain R. E. Wil- bourn, Captain William Randolph, with a half dozen couriers and two men of the signal corps, Jackson rode forward to determine the exact location of the enemy. Hooker's army was within 300 yards and no picketts had been established between the opposing forces. Such was Jackson's ardor at this crisis of the battle that he continued his way without thought of personal danger. One of his staff officers, realizing the peril to which the general was exposed, ventured to remark: