his removal from Moss Neck he heard that she had died.  “The general,” writes his aide-de-camp, “wept freely when I brought him the sad news.”  Yet in the administration of discipline Jackson was far sterner than General Lee, or indeed than any other of the generals in Virginia.  “Once on the march, fearing lest his men might stray from the ranks and commit acts of pillage, he had issued an order that the soldiers should not enter private dwellings.  Disregarding the order, a soldier entered a house, and even used insulting language to the women of the family.  This was reported to Jackson, who had the man arrested, tried by drum-head court-martial, and shot in twenty minutes."* (* Bright Skies and Dark Shadows.  Reverend H.M.  Field, D.D. page 286.) He never failed to confirm the sentences of death passed by courts-martial on deserters.  It was in vain that his oldest

friends, or even the chaplains, appealed for a mitigation of the extreme penalty.  “While he was in command at Winchester, in December 1861, a soldier who was charged with striking his captain was tried by court-martial and sentenced to be shot.  Knowing that the breach of discipline had been attended with many extenuating circumstances, some of us endeavoured to secure his pardon.  Possessing ourselves of all the facts, we waited upon the general, who evinced the deepest interest in the object of our visit, and listened with evident sympathy to our plea.  There was moisture in his eyes when we repeated the poor fellow’s pitiful appeal that he be allowed to die for his country as a soldier on the field of battle, and not as a dog by the muskets of his own comrades.  Such solicitude for the success of our efforts did he manifest that he even suggested some things to be done which we had not thought of.  At the same time he warned us not to be too hopeful.  He said:  “It is unquestionably a case of great hardship, but a pardon at this juncture might work greater hardship.  Resistance to lawful authority is a grave offence in a soldier.  To pardon this man would be to encourage insubordination throughout the army, and so ruin our cause.  Still,” he added, “I will review the whole case, and no man will be happier than myself if I can reach the same conclusions as you have done.”  The soldier was shot."* (* Communicated by the Reverend Dr. Graham.)

On another occasion four men were to be executed for desertion to the enemy.  The firing party had been ordered to parade at four o’clock in the afternoon, and shortly before the hour a chaplain, not noted for his tact, made his way to the general’s tent, and petitioned earnestly that the prisoners might even now be released.  Jackson, whom he found pacing backwards and forwards, in evident agitation, watch in hand, listened courteously to his arguments, but made no reply, until at length the worthy minister, in his most impressive manner, said, “General, consider your responsibility before the Lord.  You are sending these men’s souls to hell!” With a look of intense disgust at such empty cant, Jackson made one stride forward, took the astonished divine by his shoulders, and saying, in his severest tones, “That, sir, is my business—­do you do yours!” thrust him forcibly from the tent.