Soon, Banks started getting intelligence from the local Unionists and black population that MGEN Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's corps of 17,000 men, fresh from whipping MGEN John C. Frémont's at McDowell was heading his way. Banks had been stripped of men and artillery so that his force of 23,000 at the beginning of May to 9,000 by the 21st. Since Jackson was now positioned to block him from joining with Fremont, Banks began wondering if his now reduced force around Strasburg and Front Royal, fifteen miles east-southeast on the east side of the valley, would be able to resist any contact with Jackson. On 23 May, Banks received reports of Jackson attacking the garrison at Front Royal before the telegraph link was severed and decided to begin withdrawing to Winchester taking the Valley Turnpike so that he could take as much of his supply train with him. By 03:00, on 24 May the twelve-mile-long column of Banks' wagons began to roll north down the Valley Turnpike to Winchester.