some exactions of a similar observance on their part:-that general oddity, eccentricity, and singularity in moving, talking, thinking, and acting peculiar to himself—all these were described on a thousand occasions, and furnished unfailing food for laughter. They called him " Old Tom Jackson;" and pointing significantly to their foreheads, said he was "not quite right there." Some inclined to the belief that he was only a great eccentric; but others declared him " crazy." Those who had experienced the full weight of his Professional baton-who had been reprimanded before the class, or "reported" to the superintendent for punishment or dismissal-called him "Fool Tom Jackson."

These details are not very heroic, and detract considerably from that dignified outline which eulogistic writers upon Jackson have drawn. But they are true. Nothing is better established than the fact that the man to whom General Lee wrote, "Could I have directed events, I should have chosen for the good of the country to have been disabled in your stead," and of whom the London Times said, "That mixture of daring and judgment, which is the mark of Heaven born' Generals, distinguished him beyond any man of his time"-nothing is more certain, we say, than that this man was sneered at as a fool, and on many occasions stigmatized as insane.

It is doubtless true, however, that some of the youths, of more generous disposition or penetrating judgment, did not share in this general opinion. They saw in the young Professor originality rather than eccentricity of mind. They could acknowledge the peculiarities of his views and opinions, and the singularity of some of his habits, without sharing the popular impression that some wheel or crank of his mental machinery was out of order. Upon one point, however, there seems to have been a general concurrence: the young teacher's possession of an indomitable fearlessness and integrity in the discharge of every duty. His worst enemies never ventured to say that he did not walk the straight path of right, and administer his official duties without fear, favor, or affection. They were forced to recognize the fact that this stiff military machine measured

out justice to all alike, irrespective of persons, and could not be turned aside from the direct course by any influences around him. The cadets laughed at him, but they were afraid of him. They agreed, by common consent, that it was time thrown away to write excuses for a "report" made by Major Jackson. The faculty, from long experience, had come to understand that when Major Jackson reported a cadet he deserved punishment, and the consequence was that although the young men derided his peculiarities, and laughed in private at his odd ways, they felt that he was their master, and yielded full obedience to his orders.

Such was the ex-artillerist turned professor. From his functions of professor in the school-room he would pass to those of instructor of artillery on the parade ground. Here he was more in his element. He was called upon to teach the mysteries of that arm of the service which he loved above all others; and the proficiency of the cadets in drill and all the evolutions of the battery was soon a subject of remark. Jackson took great interest in these drills, especially when blank cartridges were used. "An ex-Cadet," in his interesting account of this portion of Jackson's life, says: "As soon as the sound of the guns would fall upon his ears, a change would seem to come over Major Jackson. He would grow more erect; the grasp upon his sabre would tighten; the quiet eyes would flash; the large nostrils would dilate, and the calm, grave face would glow with the proud spirit of the warrior. I have been frequently struck with this, and have often called the attention of others to it."

We have thus presented the figure of Jackson under two or three aspects-as the absent-looking thinker moving, lost in meditation, through the streets of Lexington; the grave professor in the lecturer's desk, and the officer of artillery, with sabre at his side, directing the drill and drawling out his commands in the long, singsong fashion peculiar to the graduates of West Point. His appearance on Sunday will conclude our outline He attended church with unfailing regularity. Punctual

to the moment, the form of the Professor was seen to enter church, decorously approach the familiar pew, and enter with grave respect in his whole demeanor. Book in hand, he followed the words of the hymn sung by the congregation, and at the signal for prayer rose erect, his tall figure remaining as motionless as a statue until the prayer was finished. After the service he retraced his steps with decorous gravity and retired to his quarters, to return again with the same punctuality, and conduct himself with the same solemn respect, at the evening service. The hours of Sunday not spent in church were given up to religious reading, meditation, and prayer in his study or in the bosom of his family.

Thus passed, in a routine of duty, barren and dull to the beholder, but doubtless interesting to him, a period of nearly ten years. Jackson's health was still delicate, and he suffered much from weakness of eyesight; but these drawbacks did not interfere with the rigid and complete discharge of his duties. The feebleness of his sight induced him to turn his attention especially to that subject, and when the revolution commenced, he had made considerable progress in an elementary work on Optics, which he proposed to publish for the benefit of his class. His character seems to have been understood and appreciated by the best classes of the little society of Lexington, and his virtues were greatly respected. Men of grave character and experience discerned the solid merits of the man; and if they did not suspect the presence of that military genius which he afterwards exhibited on another arena, they valued him for his conscientious devotion to duty, and loved him for his simplicity and piety. One who was connected with him officially at this time, Colonel Smith, the superintendent, writes: "His great principle of government was that a general rule should not be violated for any particular good; and his animating rule of action was, that a man could always accomplish what he willed to perform." This statement may be paraphrased in the words system, regularity, justice, impartiality, and unconquerable perseverance and determination. These were valuable lessons to

teach youths. They laughed at him, but they imbibed the principles of action which he taught. They derided the rigid discipline which the young martinet enacted; denounced him for administering things on a war footing," and no doubt honestly regarded him as a most unreasonable advocate of useless military etiquette; but they were slowly and certainly trained, like growing twigs, in the direction which the teacher wished. Jackson proceeded upon the eminently just view that the Institute was a military school, whose chief value consisted in the habits of military system and obedience which it impressed on the ductile characters of the cadets, and regarded any relaxation of the rules of the establishment as directly tending to strike at the intention of its founders and destroy its usefulness. Many anecdotes touching this point are related of him. He once continued to wear a thick woollen uniform during the sultriest days of summer, when everybody else had adopted the lightest attire possible; and when asked by one of the professors why he did so, replied that "he had seen an order prescribing the uniform which he wore, but none had been exhibited to him directing it to be changed." Another incident is equally characteristic. Colonel Smith declares that he has known him to walk to and fro, in front of the superintendent's quarters, with a heavy rain beating upon his person, "because the hour had not quite arrived when it was his duty to present his weekly reports." Such things appeared extremely absurd to the young gentlemen who had no idea of the importance of military" orders," and the · implicit obedience which a good soldier considers it his duty to pay to them. But which was right-the laughing young cadet, or the grave major of artillery? Let the thousands who in the late bitter and arduous struggle have been taught by stern expe rience the necessity of strict compliance with all orders, to the very letter, answer the question.

As yet, however, the cadets laughed, and doubted the good sense of all this rigid discipline. They not only made fun of the grave Professor behind his back, but persecuted and "sorely tried" him, says "An ex-Cadet," by practical jokes. One of

these was amusing, and will give the reader some idea of the youths with whom he had to deal. The battery used in drilling was managed by drag-ropes, which the junior class manned. These would play all sorts of pranks. Sometimes a lynch-pin would be secretly abstracted, and the piece or caisson would break down in the midst of the drill. A more mirth-provoking device even than this, however, was hit upon. A small bell was adroitly suspended inside of the limber-box, and the conspirators demurely took their places at the drag-ropes. The commander of the battery gave the order "Forward," and the pieces began to move. Suddenly a mysterious tinkling was heard, and the cadets, unable to withstand this tax upon their risible faculties, burst into shouts of laughter. The Professor looked astonished, halted the battery, and with great earnestness instituted an inquiry into the phenomenon. It was in vain; nothing was discovered, and the order was again given for the pieces to move forward. They moved, and the hidden bell again tinkled, amid renewed shouts of laughter. How this adventure terminated we are not informed, but there is no doubt that the trick was played and was not greatly enjoyed by Professor Jackson. Other devices of the frolicsome cadets to annoy him seem to have affected him with a touch of humor. We have referred to the long drawling manner in which, following the fashion of West Point, he gave his commands. A favorite movement with him was to bring the battery into echelon; and whenever the command to "Form echelon" was given with its accompaniment, "Right oblique-trot-march!" the whole ground would ring with the commands, repeated by the cadet officers, in the most ridiculous drawl imaginable. One evening when this had been carried to unwonted excess, the adjutant approached Jackson and asked him how he was pleased with the drill.

"Very much, sir," replied Jackson; then smiling slightly, he added, "the officers gave very fine commands this afternoon." No opportunity of having a laugh at the Professor's expense was lost sight of, and on another occasion the cadets had some grounds for their amusement. One day Jackson informed his