The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-04-18

which ne said had become enormous.
Coincidently with the religious observances,
Banks crossed the Potomae-no enemy in sight
without the loss of gun and with bis wagon
train entire, minus only 30 wagons which were
abandoned, from Strasburg. The Assistant
Secretary Of War reported that Banks had to
fight every inch Of the way; but this, like
many other statements concerning the war,
was purely imaginary, and, as already stated,
he was hardly molested. Once, near Martins
burg, Jackson's cavalry came in sight of Cor
don, and receiving a salTo they gave no further
annoyance, Banks even resting for time at
Martinsburg though no doubt his movement as
a whole was considerably hurried, reaching the
river the same evening and, after crossing. a
good many men and not 4 few officers proba-
bly, visited their homes for a time.
Not until the 25th was any demonstration
even begun bv Jackson toward the Potomac,
when Windcr with the Stonewall Brigade,
moved, and the day following moving eau
tiously, appeared before Charlestown. about
seven miles from Harper's Ferry, and followed
an Insignificant and b3dly-OrcaniZed force of
Gen. Saxton's as far as Halltown, perhaps four
miles from Harpers Ferry, when he retreated
10 Chariest0wn apprGhensive Of attack Sax
tons force. or q part Of il, also retreating TO
HarpcTs Ferry. On the 30ih the main body Of
JacksUn's army was between Charlestown and
Halitown. about 40 miles north of Strasburg
ans Front ROYAL, and on the same day, it viii
Be remembered that Shields's advance reached
the latter place and "a regiment-the 2d Va
was sent to I.0ud1uu Hights with the hope"
Jackson SAYS. OF being able to drive the enc
my from harper's Ferry across the Potomac"
The result appears in a few words from the dis
patches Of Gen. SaxtOn. who had about 5000
men there, such as they were. He wrote early
the morning of the 3lst to Secretary Stanton !:
'T The enemy moved up in force last evening
Il. -. 8 ~
/ opened on them from the position which the
troops occupy above the town, and from the
Dahlgren battery on the mountains The enemy
then retired. Their pickets attacked ours twice
last night within 300 yards of our works A
y0llcy from Gen. SlouCh's breastwOrks drove
them back. We lost one man, killed. Enemy
had signal lights on the mountains in every
direction. Ny men are overworked. Stood by
their guns all night in the rain Again !:
g Telegraph Gen. Mcdowell to press on with
al possible haste. All my pickets were driven
In last night.
ENEMY IN FORCE IN FRONT
and. I believe, on both fanks. Ny position is
strong. Shall try to hold it, Not being at
tackled, of course he held it. Secretary STAN
ton answered: Shields has already surprised
aud captured the enemy's rear-guard at Front
Royal Shields is close after them. Fremont
viii be in line today. Keep cool and hold
your ground" No doubt Gen. Saxton and
other unfortunate personages with him, civil
and military suffered terrible anxiety for a
few days, Later he said =" / have reliable
information that on Thursday Jackson had or
dered his army to storm this pace, but the
shells from our batteries were so destructive
that he drew back out of range, and endeavor-
ed TO draw US out to attack him." The Assist
ant Secretary of War said: "Deserters report
that Jackson, in a speech made to his men in
Charlestown on Monday a. M, promised them
less marching and better fare in a few days.
when they would enter Maryland" Both re-
ports were doubtless without foundation, ex-
eept IN the imagination, and Winder, in ad-
vance, was extremely cautious, as he tells us
and his only casualty was one wounded by a
shell.
Not being made factor in his plans, Jack
son seems TO have been quite unprepared and
unsuspiciOus as to the approach or interfer-
ence of his old and dreaded enemy, Shields, in
the game, aud having drawn Fremont away
from Staunton, and expecting him at Stras-
burg, be evidently intended avoiding him and
returning south as he came by Front Royal
and taking up a position in one of the gaps of
the Blue Ridge, to be within call of Gen. Lee
st Richmond. That lie dallied so long at the
north, and failed to exercise his customary ex-
trene caution, seems only to be accounted for
on the supposition that he was was either lost
in one of his moods Of mental abstraction un-
usually prolonged, or that he lost his head
through intOzication at the sensation he was
creating In the North, Of which he would learn
from the Northern newspapers reaching him
by various channels he, however, became
suddenly aroused and startled to a sense of his
danger By the knowledge that the man he most
dreaded stood squarely across his proposed line
OF retreat, through dispatch from the Colonel
who fed from Front Royal TO Winchester-in
the belief that his entire command had capitu-
lated-Which reads: Just arrived here. Enc
my in close pursuit Shields has been crossing
a. Berry's Ferry with large army all day-at
least 1900 men. Unless you can throw rein
forcemeEts here by morning all will be gone"
Indeed, Shields. with his brave command,
standing in his path, was as immovable by
Jackson, conscious of it, as the Massanutten
Mountain itself which rose at Shields's side,
and Fremont, with Schenck and Milroy of
proved courage, and the Germans, at Strasburg
as he pTomised-or even the morning after
and as expected by jackson, he and " all F." were
surely gone" With such mixture of vanity,
ambition, timidity and iudecision as jackson
possessed, his sensations must have been such
as TO battle description. Then lthe 30th) the
bulk of his army perhaps 30 miles north
Of either StrasbuTg or Front Royal, and parts
even farther away. the mountains became
aiame with the signal fires signaling a recall,
though Winder, for some reason, only moved
the morning following,
AND CRY OF DESPAIR AROSE
from Jackson to Heaven, we may be sure,
and to Richmond for help, but too late. Gen
Lee, with an imperfect knowledge Of the situa-
tiOn, said TO Secretary Randolph concerning
the sending OF reinforcements 10 Jackson at
this time: =" / wish they were mine; but if they
can join him they will help him to
fill up his ranks. He ought to have more, OF
they viii not materially aid him. His plan i:
TO march to Front Royal and crush Shields. II
Is his only course. / expect him TO do it,
Meantime, at Lees suggestion, insignificant
bodies were ordered to move from Staunton
raise the community, magnify their numbers
march down the Valley aud communicate
with Jackson. twill shake Shields aud make
him pause"
Mr.. Jefferson Davis wrote: From the Hon
Mr. Boteler ! have learned something of YOU
probable movements. At this distance it is no
| possible to obtain such exact information a.
would justify conclusion, but hope you will
not find at Front Royal force which you canno
overcome. The only aid which seemed to be il