288
I read the message he had given me. It was dated “ McDowell,” and readabout thus: “ Providence blessed our arms with victory at McDowell yester-day.” That was all. A few days after I got to Staunton a courier arrivedwith a message to be telegraphed to the Secretary of War. I read it, sent itoff, and ordered a courier to be ready with his horse, while I waited at thetelegraph office for the reply. The message was to this effect: “1 think I
ought to attack Banks , but under my orders I do not feel at liberty to do so.”In less than an hour a reply came, but not from the Secretary of War. Itwas from General Joseph E. Johnston , to whom I supposed the Secretary had
referred General Jackson ’s message. Ihave a distinct recollection of its sub-stance, as follows: “If you think youcan beat Banks , attack him. I onlyintended by my orders to caution yonagainst attacking fortifications.” Bankswas understood to have fortified him-self strongly at Strasburg and CedarCreek, and he had fallen back there. Istarted the courier with this reply, asI supposed, to McDowell, but, lo! itmet Jackson only twelve miles fromStaunton, to which point on the Harri-sonburg and Warm Springs turnpikehe had marched his little army, exceptAshby’s cavalry, which, under an in-trepid leader, Captain Slieetz, he hadsent from McDowell to menace Fremont,who was concentrating at Franklin inPendleton County, where he remainedin blissful ignorance that Jackson hadleft McDowell, till he learned by tele-graph some days later that Jackson had fallen upon Banks at Front Royal and driven him through Winchesterand across the Potomac.
Two hours after receiving this telegram from General Johnston, Jackson was en route for Harrisonburg , where he came upon the great Valley turnpike.By foi’ced marches he reached New Market in two days. Detachments ofcavalry guarded every road beyond him, so that Banks remained in totalignorance of his approach. This Federal commander had the larger part ofhis force well fortified at and near Strasburg, but he kept a large detachmentat Front Royal , about eight miles distant and facing the Luray or PageValley. ☆
From New Market Jackson disappeared so suddenly that the people of theValley were again mystified. He crossed the Massanutten Mountain, and,
Banks ’s total force now numbered 9178 present for duty as against 16,000 to 17,000
of Jackson.— Editors.