brevity, modesty; and it traces the victory to its right
source, the blessing of God."

The early spring of 1863 was undoubtedly one of the happiest seasons
of a singularly happy life. Jackson's ambition, if the desire for
such rank that would enable him to put the powers within him to the
best use may be so termed, was fully gratified. The country lad who,
one-and-twenty years ago, on his way to West Point, had looked on the
green hills of Virginia from the Capitol at Washington, could hardly
have anticipated a higher destiny than that which had befallen him.
Over the hearts and wills of thirty thousand magnificent soldiers,
the very flower of Southern manhood, his empire was absolute; and
such dominion is neither the heritage of princes nor within the reach
of wealth. The most trusted lieutenant of his great commander, the
strong right arm with which he had executed his most brilliant
enterprises, he shared with him the esteem and admiration not only of
the army but of the whole people of the South. The name he had
determined, in his lonely boyhood, to bring back to honour already
ranked with those of the Revolutionary heroes. Even his enemies, for
the brave men at the front left rancour to the politicians, were not
proof against the attraction of his great achievements. A friendly
intercourse, not always confined to a trade of coffee for tobacco,
existed between the outposts; "Johnnies" and "Yanks" often exchanged
greetings across the Rappahannock; and it is related that one day
when Jackson rode along the river, and the Confederate troops ran
together, as was their custom, to greet him with a yell, the Federal
pickets, roused by the sudden clamour, crowded to the bank, and
shouted across to ask the cause. "General Stonewall Jackson," was the
proud reply of the grey-coated sentry. Immediately, to his
astonishment, the cry, "Hurrah for Stonewall Jackson!" rang out from
the Federal ranks, and the voices of North and South, prophetic of a
time to come, mingled in acclamation of a great American.

The situation of the army, although the winter was unusually severe,
was not without its compensations. The country was covered with snow,
and storms were frequent; rations were still scarce,* (* On January
23 the daily ration was a quarter of a pound of beef, and one-fifth
of a pound of sugar was ordered to be issued in addition, but there
was no sugar! Lee to Davis, O.R. volume 21 page 1110. In the Valley,
during the autumn