sts of the enemy in the hollow of his hand, was the kindest and the
most considerate of human beings. To them he was "Old Jack" in the
same affectionate sense as he had been "Old Jack" to his class-mates
at West Point. They followed him willingly, for they knew that the
path he trod was the way to victory; but they loved him as children
do their parents, because they were his first thought and his last.

"In season and out of season he laboured for their welfare. To his
transport and commissariat officers he was a hard master. The
unfortunate wight who had neglected to bring up supplies, or who
ventured to make difficulties, discovered, to his cost, that his
quiet commander could be very terrible; but those officers who did
their duty, in whatever branch of the service they might be serving,
found that their zeal was more than appreciated. For himself he asked
nothing; on behalf of his subordinates he was a constant and
persistent suitor. He was not only ready to support the claims to
promotion of those who deserved it, but in the case of those who
displayed special merit he took the initiative himself: and he was
not content with one refusal. His only difference with General Lee,
if difference it can be called, was on a question of this nature. The
Commander-in-Chief, it appears, soon after the battle of
Fredericksburg, had proposed to appoint officers to the Second Army
Corps who had served elsewhere. After some correspondence Jackson
wrote as follows:--"My rule has been to recommend such as were, in my
opinion, best qualified for filling vacancies. The application of
this rule has prevented me from even recommending for the command of
my old brigade one of its officers, because I did not regard any of
them as competent as another of whose qualifications I had a higher
opinion. This rule has led me to recommend Colonel Bradley T. Johnson
for the command of Taliaferro's brigade...I desire the interest of
the service, and no other interest, to determine who shall be
selected to fill the vacancies. Guided by this principle, I cannot go
outside of my command for persons to fill vacancies in it, unless by
so doing a more competent officer is secured. This same principle
leads me to oppose having officers who have never served with me, and
of whose qualifications I have no knowledge, forced upon me by
promoting them to fill vacancies in my command, and advancing them
over meritorious officers well qualified for the position