r long silence, he
would suddenly direct his eyes and nose toward me with "General Taylor!
What do you suppose President Davis made me a major-general
for?"--beginning with a sharp accent and ending with a gentle lisp.
Superbly mounted, he was the boldest of horsemen, invariably leaving the
roads to take timber and water. No follower of the "Pytchley" or "Quorn"
could have lived with him across country. With a fine tactical eye on
the battle field, he was never content with his own plan until he had
secured the approval of another's judgment, and chafed under the
restraint of command, preparing to fight with the skirmish line. On two
occasions in the Valley, during the temporary absence of Jackson from
the front, Ewell summoned me to his side, and immediately rushed forward
among the skirmishers, where some sharp work was going on. Having
refreshed himself, he returned with the hope that "old Jackson would not
catch him at it." He always spoke of Jackson, several years his junior,
as "old," and told me in confidence that he admired his genius, but was
certain of his lunacy, and that he never saw one of Jackson's couriers
approach without expecting an order to assault the north pole.

Later, after he had heard Jackson seriously declare that he never ate
pepper because it produced a weakness in his left leg, he was confirmed
in this opinion. With all his oddities, perhaps in some measure because
of them, Ewell was adored by officers and men.

Orders from headquarters directed all surplus provisions, in the country
between the Rappahannock and Rapidan, to be sent south of the latter
stream. Executing these orders strictly, as we daily expected to rejoin
the army, the division began to be straitened for supplies. The
commissary of my brigade, Major Davis, was the very pearl of
commissaries. Indefatigable in discharge of duty, he had as fine a nose
for bullocks and bacon as Major Monsoon for sherry. The commissaries of
the other brigades were less efficient, and for some days drew rations
from Davis; but it soon became my duty to take care of my own command,
and General Ewell's attention was called to the subject. The General
thought that it was impossible so rich a country could be exhausted, and
sallied forth on a cattle hunt himself. Late in the day he returned with
a bull, jaded as was he of Ballyraggan after he had been goaded to the
summit of that classic pass, and venerable enough to have fertilized the
milky mothers