516
OUR MARCH AGAINST POPE.
occupying a position there. The flooding rains interrupted his operations,making the river past fording and crippling all attempts at forcing a passage.Jackson therefore withdrew his forces at night by a temporary bridge. Asthe lower fords became impassable by reason of the floods, the Federalsseemed to concentrate against Jackson’s efforts.
On the 23d I had quite a spirited artillery combat at Beverly Ford with aforce of the enemy that had crossed at the railroad bridge near where I wasstationed. The superior position and metal of the Federals gave them anadvantage, which they improved by skillful practice. We had more guns,however, and by practice equally clever at length gained the advantage. Alittle before night the Federals withdrew from the combat, and, finding thatwe had gotten the better of them, set fire to a number of farm-houses in thelocality.
Pending our movements south-west of the Rappahannock, General Stuarthad been making an effort to go around Pope ’s army, but, fearing to remainon the Washington side of the river in the face of such floods as had come,recrossed with some important dispatches he had captured by a charge uponPope ’s headquarters train [see p. 528]. This correspondence confirmed theinformation we already had, that the Federal army on the James underMcClellan and the Federal troops in the Kanawha Yalley under Cox had beenordered to reenforce Pope [see p. 278]. Upon receipt of that information,General Lee was more anxious than ever to cross at once. Pope, however,was on the alert, and Lee found he could not attack him to advantage in hisstronghold behind the Rappahannock. Lee therefore decided to change hiswhole plan, and was gratified, on looking at the map, to find a very comfort-able way of turning Pope out of his position. It was by moving Jackson offto our left, and far to the rear of the Federal army, while I remained in frontwith thirty thousand men to engage him in case he should offer to fight.
On the 25th Jackson crossed the Rappahannock at Hinson’s Mill, fourmiles above Waterloo Bridge, and that night encamped at Salem. The nextday he passed through Thoroughfare Gap and moved on by Gainesville ,and when sunset came he was many miles in the rear of Pope ’s army,and between it and Washington. This daring move must have staggeredthe Federal commander. From the Rappahannock, Jackson had gone with-out serious opposition to within a stone’s-throw of the field where the firstbattle of Manassas was fought. When he arrived at Bristoe Station, justbefore night, the greater part of the Federal guard at that point fled, andtwo trains of cars coming from the direction of Warren ton were captured.Jackson sent a force forward seven miles and captured Manassas Junction,taking eight pieces of artillery, a lot of prisoners, and great quantities ofcommissary and quartermastei-’s stores. He left a force at Bristoe Stationand proceeded to the Junction, arriving there himself on tire morning ofthe 27th. During the afternoon the enemy attacked our troops at BristoeStation, coming from the direction of Warren ton Junction in such force thatit Avas evident Pope had discovered the situation and was moving with hisentire army upon Jackson. The Confederates at the station withdrew, after