lay down for himself certain principles of conduct towards both
officers and men. It may be, then, that Jackson considered the course
he pursued the best adapted to maintain discipline amongst a number
of ambitious young generals, some of whom had been senior to himself
in the old service, and all of whom had been raised suddenly, with
probably some disturbance to their self-possession, to high rank. It
is to be remembered, too, that during the campaigns of 1862 his
pre-eminent ability was only by degrees made clear. It was not
everyone who, like General Lee, discerned the great qualities of the
silent and unassuming instructor of cadets, and other leaders, of
more dashing exterior, with a well-deserved reputation for brilliant
courage, may well have doubted whether his capacity was superior to
their own.

Such soaring spirits possibly needed a tight hand; and, in any case,
Jackson had much cause for irritation. With Wolfe and Sherman he
shared the distinguished honour of being considered crazy by hundreds
of self-sufficient mediocrities. It was impossible that he should
have been ignorant, although not one word of complaint ever passed
his lips, how grossly he was misrepresented, how he was caricatured
in the press, and credited with the most extravagant and foolhardy
ideas of war. Nor did his subordinates, in very many instances, give
him that loyal and ungrudging support which he conceived was the due
of the commanding general. More than one of his enterprises fell
short of the full measure of success owing to the shortcomings of
others; and these shortcomings, such as Loring's insubordination at
Romney, Steuart's refusal to pursue Banks after Winchester, Garnett's
retreat at Kernstown, A.P. Hill's tardiness at Cedar Run, might all
be traced to the same cause--disdain of his capacity, and a
misconception of their own position. In such circumstances it is
hardly to be wondered at if his wrath blazed to a white heat. He was
not of a forgiving nature. Once roused, resentment took possession of
his whole being, and it may be questioned whether it was ever really
appeased. At the same time, the fact that Jackson lacked the
fascination which, allied to lofty intellect, wins the hearts of men
most readily, and is pre-eminently the characteristic of the very
greatest warriors, can hardly be denied. His influence with men was a
plant of slow growth. Yet the glamour of his great deeds, the gradual
recognition of his unfaili