An Anecdote of Stonewall Jackson.*
By B. M. I.
[The following anecdote published in a recent number
of the Richmond Standard is so characteristic of the
great man to whom it refers that it deserves a place in our record of material
for the future historian, and we cheerfully insert it. It shows that while
very exacting in his demands upon others, he was unwilling to rest for
a moment when he found that he had done injustice to another.]
The following little incident in the life of General
Stonewall Jackson shows the hero as verily as any of
the grand military achievements which later in life
rendered him so famous.
As I stood before his statue in the Capitol Grounds
at Richmond the other day I ran over the four years of
my cadet life at the Virginia Military Institute and
remembered with pride that he was my professor. One day when my class was
reciting to him on Bartlett's Mechanics, Cadet L-was sent to the blackboard,
had
his subject assigned him, which involved a great deal
of analytical work. The work done, the cadet faced
about, assumed the position of a soldier, saluted the Major (his rank at
that time), and indicated his readiness to recite. During the demonstration
Major Jackson detected, as he thought, some error in the work -may be the
sign was plus when it should have been minus, or the reverse. The cadet
ventured to insist that his work was right, as much as a cadet dare insist
on anything with "old Jack' (as the Major was called in cadet parlance).
This was offensive to military discipline, and Cadet L-was ordered to his
seat, to which he went with a sad heart, fearing he would not only get
a low mark on the class-book, but may be he would be reported for disorderly
conduct.
The class was soon dismissed. The day wore on-a cold,
stormy, snowy day in January. About nine o'clock that night, or just after
we had gone to our rooms from tatoo, we heard the sentinel call for the
corporal of the guard, and very soon an officer came to our room. He called
out: "L-, old Jack's in the guard-room and wants you." We said: "An, old
fellow you are gone up for arrest." Down the stoop went the cadet, wondering,
fearing. As he entered the guard room there stood
"old Jack" like a grand old Roman, snow on his cloak,
his cap, and his beard. The cadet doffed his cap, and saluted
him; he returned the salute in his nervous, quick way, and said: "Mr. L.-,
I have been looking over the subject you had in the lecture room this morning
and comparing it with your analytical work, and I find that you were right
and I was wrong and the book was wrong, and I beg your pardon, Mr. L-.
I could not sleep feeling that I had injured you, and I came down to tell
you so."
The cadet, in his joy, said: "Oh, Major, it made no
difference. I would not have had you walk all the way down here in this
storm." The Major replied, "That's sufficient, Mr. L-' retire to your quarters,
it is very near taps." (Taps was the hour every light was to be put out
at the tap of the drum.) Out in that dark howling storm old Stonewall went;
his house was fully a mile away; but what cared he for storm or distance;
he had wronged a cadet, a private in the ranks, and he could not sleep
till the wrong was repaired. The matter was mentioned
next morning at the mess-hall when we were reakfasting
The careless laughed and said "Old Jack is crazy." The more thoughtful
laid the matter away in their hearts to reflect on in after years,
for many knew that he was a stonewall before he was christened by the fire
and blood of Manassas. Many little incidents I remember which show the
greatness of his soul. I send you this hoping its publication may do good
in this day when so few act from conviction and dare to do what is just
and right.
*Taken from the Southern Historical
Society Papers
Volume IX, Richmond, Va, September,
1881, No 9
September, Pages 425 - 426
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