The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-07-08
Corr, spondcnce of the n. Y. Tribune.
FREMONT'S CAMPAIGN in THE
SHENANDOAH VALLEY.
FREMoNT's HEADQUARTERS, Mr.. JACKsoN,l
VA, Friday, June llth 1862

FREMoNT's HEADQUARTERS, Mr. JACKsoN,l
VA, Friday, June nth, 1862. !
The pursuit of Jackson ceased at Port
Republic, and Gen. Fremont has fallen
back with his whole column TO this town,
on tie hither bank Of the Shenandoah.
Omi,ting today some details of the
march, let me state very briefly why
All the reasons cannot vet be given.
This campaign is by no means finished
and until it is. one very important con.
sideralion can only be referred to in the
most general way, mean the number Of
troops in this army. But inasmuch as
the original plan by which il was hoped
to estroy Jackson's army has been Who'll
ly abandoned, ii can do no harm TO say
what it was.
When jackson drove Banks ou of .he
Shenandoah Valley, he advanced 50 far
North that lie gave chance for the two
Union armies in his rear on either flank
to unite and Gu; him off Their distance
was so great that he probably deemed
himself secure from the attempt, but the
extent Of his success in Northern Virgin.
in. and the alarm which il caused in
Washington, stimulated the War Depart
ment or the President, or both, 10 extra.
ordinary efforts. Orders were simulta-
neously dispatched to Mcdowell in the
East and Fremont in the West, to proceed
by forced marches TO the relief of the
Shenandoah Valley. Uniting their for
ces in the rear of Jackson, who with
Ewell was known to have not less than
25, 600 men, they would have been strong
enough to assail and defeat the rebel for
ces me march Of Mcdowell is out of
my province, and | have no explanation
TO offer concerning il. Ii is sufficient TO
say that one brigade of cavalry under
Gen. Bayard reached Strasburg the day
after jackson had passed through, and
Fremont had occupied it, and this bri-
gade was ordered forward to join in the
pursuit. The movements OF Shield will
be referred 10 hereafter.
Gen Fremont was first ordered to Har
risonburg by the direct road from Frank
lin--a movement which would undoubt-
edly have placed him in Jackson's rear,
but which | have heretofore shown to
have been impossible, owing to the want
of food and forage. Another reason for
not taking il may be found in the fact
that IL would have opened 10 Jackson the
road of escape through Romney and Pc
tersburg, cutting the only line of commu-
nicaton by which supplies had been or
could be forwarded to franklin and il
may be added finally, that the road 10
Hrrrisonburg was artlicially obslructed
by the rebels so as TO be wholly impass.
able. When, therefore, il was decided
to approach Srasburg b. way of Peters
burg and Morefeld. the movement was
made in expectation that Mcdowell would
also reach Strasburg with sufficient
force TO make an attack upon Jackson
possible. Ii he should have succeeded
in getting through Strasburg, the same
united forces would be strong enough 10
continue the pursuit with hopes OF sue.
cess
Moving then from Franklin, with an
army exhausted by unusual fatigue and
hardship before it started, Gen Fremont
crossed the mountains in tho face Of ey-
cry obstacle which could relard the pro.
gress OF his column. and arrived in front
OF Strasburg as Jackson was passing
through. The history OF the subsequent
pursuit. It's extraordinary vigor and ce
ieriIy, It's daily encounters with a desper.
ale enemy driven 10 every strait in order
TO retard it, and the final victorious con.
test at Cross Keys has been already Civ
en-. The pursuit from Slrasburg was
begun and continued by Gen. Fremont
with no considerable addition to his for.
ces- Gen. Bayard's cavalry being his
only fe enforcement. Such puisui',