Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 10.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

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[287] Why “Stonewall” Jackson did not drink.--Colonel A. R. Boteler, in the Philadelphia Weekly Times, tells the following story concerning General Jackson: “Having lingered to the last allowable moment with the members of my family, ‘hereinbefore mentioned’ --as the legal documents would term them — it was after 10 o'clock at night when I returned to headquarters for final instruction, and before going to the General's room I ordered two whiskey toddies to be brought up after me. When they appeared I offered one of the glasses to Jackson, but he drew back, saying: ‘No, Colonel, you must excuse me; I never drink intoxicating liquors.’ ‘ I know that, General,’ said I, ‘ but though you habitually abstain, as I do myself, from everything of the sort, there are occasions, and this is one of them, when a stimulant will do us both good; otherwise, I would neither take it myself nor offer it to you. So you must make an exception to your general rule, and join me in a toddy to-night.’ He again shook his head, but, nevertheless, took the tumbler and began to sip its contents. Presently putting it on the table, after having but partially emptied it, he said: ‘Colonel, do you know why I habitually abstain from intoxicating drinks?’ And on my replying in the negative, he continued: ‘Why, sir, because I like the taste of them, and when I discovered that to be the case I made up my mind at once to do without them altogether.’ ”