“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 positions, and of whose qualifications I have had ample opportunities of judging from their having served with me.

“In my opinion, the interest of the service would be injured if I should quietly consent to see officers with whose qualifications I am not acquainted promoted into my command to fill vacancies, regardless of the merits of my own officers who are well qualified for the positions.  The same principle leads me, when selections have to be made outside of my command, to recommend those (if there be such) whose former service with me proved them well qualified for filling the vacancies.  This induced me to recommend Captain Chew, who does not belong to this army corps, but whose well-earned reputation when with me has not been forgotten.”

And as he studied the wishes of his officers, working quietly and persistently for their advancement, so he studied the wishes of the private soldiers.  It is well known that artillerymen come, after a time, to feel a personal affection for their guns, especially those which they have used in battle.  When in camp near Fredericksburg Jackson was asked to transfer certain field-pieces, which had belonged to his old division, to another portion of the command.  The men were exasperated, and the demand elicited the following letter:—­