Staunton Spectator

Gen. Jackson, having gone some distance in front of the line of skirmishers on Saturday evening, was returning about 8 o'clock, attended by his staff and part of his couriers; the cavalcade was, in the darkness of the night, mistaken for a body of the enemy's cavalry and fired upon by a regiment of his own corps. He was struck by three balls: one through left arm two inches below shoulder joint, shattering the bone and severing the chief artery; another ball passed through same arm, between elbow and wrist, making its exit through palm of the hand; a third ball entered palm of the right hand about its middle, passing through, broke two of the bones. He was wounded on the plank road, about fifty yards in advance of the enemy. He fell from his horse and was caught by Captain Wormley, to whom he remarked: "All my wounds are by my own men." He had given orders to fire at anything coming up the road before he left the lines. The enemy's skirmishers appeared ahead of him and he turned to ride back. Just then, some one cried out, "cavalry!" and immediately the regiment fired. The whole party broke forward to ride through our line to escape the fire. Capt. Boswell was killed and carried through the line by his horse and fell amid our own men. Colonel Crutchfield, Chief of Staff, was wounded by his side. Two couriers were killed. Major Pendleton, Lieutenants Morrison and Smith, aids, escaped uninjured.

Gen. Jackson was immediately placed on a litter and started for the rear, the firing attracted the attention of the enemy, and was resumed by both lines. One of the litter bearers was shot down, and the General fell from the shoulders of the men, receiving a severe contusion, adding to the injury of the arm and injuring the side severely. The enemy's fire of artillery on the point was terrible. Gen. Jackson was left for five minutes until the fire slackened, then placed in an ambulance and carried to the field hospital at Wilderness Run. He lost a large amount of blood, and at one time told Dr. McGuire he thought he was dying, and would have bled to death, but a tourniquet was immediately applied. For two hours he was near pulseless from the shock. As he was being carried from the field, frequent inquiries were made by the soldiers, "Who have you there?" He told the Doctor, "Do not tell the troops I am wounded."

After reaction a consultation was held between Drs. Black, Coleman, Wails, and McGuire, and amputation was decided upon. He was asked, "If we find amputation necessary shall it be done at once?" He replied, "Yes!" certainly--Dr. McGuire order me whatever you think right." The operation was performed while under the influence of chloroform and was borne well. He slept Sunday morning, was cheerful, and in every way doing well. He sent for Mrs. Jackson, and asked minutely about the battle, spoke cheerfully of the result, and said, "If I had not been wounded, or had an hour more of daylight, I would have cut off the enemy from the road to the U.S. Ford, and we would have had them entirely surrounded and they would have been obliged to surrender, or cut their way out; they had no other alternative. My troops sometimes may fall in driving the enemy from a position, but the enemy always fail to drive my men from a position." This was said smilingly.

He complained this day of the fall from the litter, although no contusion or abrasion was perceptible as the result of the fall; he did not complain of his wounds--never spoke of them unless asked.

Sunday evening he slept well.

Monday he was carried to Chancellor's House, near Guinea's Depot; he was cheerful; talked about the battle, of the gallant bearing of Gen. Rhodes, and said that his Major General's commission ought to date from Saturday; of the grand charge of his old Stonewall Brigade, of which he had heard; asked after all his officers; during the day he talked more than usual, and said: "the men who live through this war will be proud to say "I was one of the Stonewall Brigade to their children"--he insisted that the term "Stonewall" belonged to them, and not to him.

During the ride to Guinea's he complained greatly of heat and, besides wet applications to the wound, begged that a wet cloth be applied to his stomach, which was done, greatly to his relief, as he expressed it. He slept well Monday night, and eat [sic] with relish on next morning.

Tuesday--his wounds were doing very well. He asked, "can you tell me, from the appearance of my wounds, how long I will be kept from the field?" He was greatly satisfied when told they were doing remarkably well. Did not complain of any pain in his side, and wanted to see the members of his staff, but was advised not.

Wednesday--wounds looked remarkably well. He expected to go to Richmond this day, but was prevented by the rain. This night, whilst his surgeon, who had slept none for three nights was asleep, he complained of nausea, and ordered his boy, Jim, to place a wet towel over his stomach. This was done. About daylight the surgeon was awakened by the boy saying, the General is suffering great pain. The pain was in the right side, and due to incipient pneumonia and some nervousness, which he, himself, attributed to the fall from the litter.

Thursday--Mrs. Jackson arrived, greatly to his joy and satisfaction, and she faithfully nursed him to the end. By Thursday all pain had ceased; he suffered greatly from prostration.

Friday--he suffered no pain, but the prostration increased.

Drs. Tucker and Smith had been consulted from Thursday.

Sunday morning, when it was apparent that he was rapidly sinking, Mrs. Jackson was informed of his condition. She then had free and full converse with him, and told him he was going to die. He said, "very good, very good, it is all right."

He had previously said, "I consider these wounds a blessing; they were given me for some good and wise purpose, and I would not part with them if I could." He asked Maj. Pendleton, "who is preaching at headquarters today." He sent messages to all the Generals. He expressed a wish to be buried in "Lexington, in the Valley of Virginia."

During the delirium his mind reverted to the field of battle, and he sent orders to Gen. A. P. Hill to prepare for action, and to Major Hawks, his commissary, and to the surgeons.

He frequently expressed to his aids his wish that Major General Ewell should be ordered to the command of the corps; his confidence in Gen. Ewell was very great, and the manner in which he spoke of him showed that he had duly considered the matter.