r the war, and
has never since been located.

One of the most striking characters in the company was "General" Jake,
as we called him, whose passion for war kept him always in the army,
while his aversion to battle kept him always in the rear. After serving
a year with us, being over military age, he got a discharge, but soon
joined the Rockbridge cavalry as a substitute, where six legs, instead
of two, afforded three-fold opportunities. An interview between the
"General" and one of our company, as he viewed the former and was struck
with his appearance, was as follows:

"Well, 'General,' you are the most perfect-looking specimen of a soldier
I ever beheld. That piercing eye, the grizzly mustache, the firm jaw,
the pose of the head, that voice--in fact, the whole make-up fills to
the full the measure of a man of war."

The "General," with a graceful bow and a deep roll in his voice,
replied, "Sire, in enumerating the items which go to constitute a great
general I notice the omission of one requisite, the absence of which in
my outfit lost to the cause a genius in council and a mighty leader in
battle."

"What was that, 'General'?"

"Sire, it goes by the name of Cour-ridge."

* * * * *

Estimates of things are governed by comparison, and no better idea of
the Southern army could be had than that given by a knowledge of its
numbers, equipment, etc., as compared with those of its adversary
throughout the four years of the war. This can be illustrated by a
sketch of the Rockbridge Artillery in that respect, beginning with its
entrance into service, as a type of the whole army.

The guns with which this company set out from Lexington were two
smooth-bore six-pound brass pieces used by Stonewall Jackson for
drilling the cadets at the Virginia Military Institute, which were
coupled together and drawn by one pair of horses to Staunton. I must
pause here and relate an incident which occurred at that period, in
which these guns played a part. Among the cadets was one--Hountsell--who
was considered as great an enigma as Jackson himself. In some of the
various evolutions of the drill it was necessary for the cadets to trot.
This gait Hountsell failed to adopt, and was reported to the
superintendent with the specification "for failing to trot." Hountsell
handed in his written excuse as follows, "I am reported by Major Jackson
for failing, at artillery drill, to trot. My excuse is, I am a natu