Page:War and its Heroes.djvu/27

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

THE WAS AND ITS HERO! - 29 and down among the plunging shot and shell, calling out, coolly, "Oosne nn — this is nothing — you see they can't hurt me!" It will thus be seen that, cither from native COUflgge or that sentiment of predestination alluded to, young Jackson had already acquired the dauntless nerve and coolnesB which afterwards rendered him so famous. The penetrating eyes .>!' Napoleon, had he seen that youth calmly walking amid tho heavy lire of the enemy's artillery, and declaring coolly that it "could not hurt him,"' would have discerned much in his fan- — would have undi that this yeung man would "ge far." The first position, we believe, held by General Jackson, after the ^cession of Virginia, was that of commandant of the camp of instruction at the Fair Grounds, in Richmond. He, however, did not remain long in this position. Having received the first colonel's commission issued by the • r her >u, he was ordered to a point where he would be of mors use to the cause in which we were about to <-n_ -• Accordingly, "n the 3d of M ly, 1861, he took command at Harpers Ferry, and continued in that position until tl of May, when be loss relieved by General Joseph E.Johnston. Jackson was then assigned to the command of the infantry of the army of the Shenandoah. General Johnston, after taking coum ad, assigned to Colonel •' important duty of checking the Yankee General Patterson in 1"- That duty v..- performed to the entin il Johnston arid the In his official report of the battle "!' Man said : •• < »:i the 2d of July, General Patt< rson again cross* 1 thi rouant to instruct re him [a rel him a - in the affaii at Palling Watem. With a battalion of the 5th A imeot 1 i Itilfully taking a position of hi- them for i • ■ 1, and I'.ut it w. tion whir], iced bin . n th^ At the 1 i hi.* . - mas L I're-t Harper; the 27th Virginia, Lieutenant-* olunel Echols, and the 8M Virginia,