"By the celerity and secrecy of our movements, our advance and passage
of the river was undisputed, and on our withdrawal not a rebel dared to
follow us. The events of the last week may well cause the heart of every
officer and soldier of the army to swell with pride!"
The heart of the North quickly swelled with such pride that the
President was forced to remove General Hooker and appoint General George
Meade to his command.
While the South was celebrating the wonderful achievement of their now
invincible army, Lee's greatest general lay dying at a little farm house
a few miles from the scene of his immortal achievement. Jackson had been
accidentally wounded by a volley from his own men fired by his orders.
His wound was not supposed to be fatal and arrangements were made for
his removal to Richmond when he was suddenly stricken with pneumonia and
rapidly sank. He lifted his eyes to his physician and calmly said:
"If I live, it will be for the best--and if I die, it will be for the
best; God knows and directs all things for the best."
His last moments were marked with expressions of his abiding faith in
the wisdom and love of the God he had faithfully served.
Yet his spirit was still on the field of battle.
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