Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 43.djvu/55

 Rh could kill so many rats a minute. He pretended to believe that they were General Jackson's selections; with great solemnity he looked at the picture and then at the general. He paused and stepped back, and in solemn tones said he wished to express his astonishment and grief at the display of General Jackson's low tastes. It would be a sad disappointment to the old ladies of the country, who thought that Jackson was a good man. General Jackson was delighted above measure. He blushed like a girl, and hesitated, and said nothing but to turn aside and direct that a good dinner be prepared for General Stuart. All the genial humor and frolic of that splendid cavalier were enjoyed exceedingly, with utter incapacity for response.

Among our visitors were several officers of the English army, who had a great desire to see Stonewall Jackson, the hero of the Shenandoah Valley. There were Mr. Lawler, of the London Times, and a representative of the London Illustrated News. A week was spent in our headquarters by the young Marquis of Hartington, later the Duke of Devonshire, and his friend, Colonel Leslie, chairman of the military committee in the House of Commons. Hartington was a fine young Englishman, hearty, cordial, unaffected, just out of his university life. He shared my blankets and rode my horses. He saw a fine review of our corps and visited the young ladies of the Rappahannock with great satisfaction. Leslie, an older man, spent much time with General Jackson and at the end of his week's stay said that Jackson was the best informed military man he had met in America and as perfect a gentleman as he had ever seen.

I recall a visit that General Jackson made to General Lee, in headquarters, on the Mine road, above Hamilton's Crossing. It was in the depth of winter. One day there came a note from Lee asking Jackson to come to see him at his convenience. In the evening Jackson said he would ride up there the next morning and directed me to be ready to accompany him. When the early morning came, the country lay under a heavy fall of snow and the cold was severe, with the snow still falling. I turned over in my blanket and went to sleep again, thinking that the general would not go. But an orderly awoke me, saying that the general