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

broken bridges and AcDoWeliS peculiar
stolidity and inattention, his advance, under
Kimball, reached Front Royal on the morn
ing Of the Seth, scattered a Confederate IN
flutry force about equal 10 ours there the
week before, captured $50 prisoners, one IL
poRnder riied gun, a large quantity of asnls,
ammunition and clothing and several car
loads Of grain, besides other property, and
recaptured a number Of Banks's men, includ-
ing the officer who charged into the wagons
at NiddletoWn The capture Of prisoners
must have been much larger had Mcdowell
supplied a reasonable force of cavalry for
pursuit. Kimball having but a company
OF New Hampshire horse. under Maj. ID. y.
Nelson, who made a gallant and successful
charge In capturing the prisoners, and lost
eig0t men killed and seven wounded, IN
cluding Capt Wm. J. Ainsw0Tth, killed at
the head OF his troop. The Confederate
Colonel commanding, who had previously
distinguished himself for bravery, lost hls
head and fed in advance Of his men for " IN
chester, and the Major tried to surrender
the command,
But THE 1TES PREFERRED FLIGHT,
under a gray-headed old Captain named
Brown, who took command.
Much 70 Iinc0lnis vCX8tiQn, Fremont was
first heard from. after promising 10 move as
directed. falling back 10 the north by Moor
field. instead OF complying with his orders
and moving to HarTisonburg and down the
Valley. evidently having no inclination or
taste FOR taking any risk by getting IN 'front.'
Of Jackson to bar his way back, when the
President telegrapbed: ] see that you are
at N00rfeld You were expressly ordered
to march q HarrisonbGrg What does this
mean?n Frem0nts excuses being accepted,
he was informed OF Jackson's whereabouts
and directed 20 move upon him by the best
route he could, when he said. The Presl-
dents order VIII be Obeyed as promptly as
possible The President again telegraphed;
Gen. Mcdowell 5 advance, If not checked by
the enemy. should, and probably viii, be at
Front Royal by II, noon, tomorrow" THE
day Kimball arrived, the 30th.) HIS force
when I'D viii be about 10000. Please have
your force at Strasburg, or, if the route you
are moving on does Bot lead 10 that point, as
near Strasburg as the enemy may be by the
same time However. Fremont had halted
a day on the strength OF a doctors certificate,
and replied: cannot undertake, with
safety, to be at the point you mention earlier
than by ) o'clock on Saturday afternoon, the
3lst. At that hour viii be at or near it, ac-
cording TO the position of the enemy" 1t
viii be understood that if Shields were at
Front ROYAL and Fremont at Strasburg be-
fore Jackson, his way would be blocked and
be could not get back without cutting his
way through, the Valley being hedged in by
mountains, and the AIassanutten Mountain
between Front Royal and Strasburg.
A 1I.30 a. N. Of the 30th Fremont tele-
arsDhed: Scouts and men from Winchester
represent Jacks0n's force variOusly at from 30,
600 to G0030. With him are Gems. Ewell and
L0nestreet" In the same minute the Presi-
dent repl5ed: There cannot be more than 20
600 probably not more than 1900, of the enc
my at or near Winchester. Where is your
force2 It ought this minute to be near Stras-
burg Answer at once" For some reason lie
received FremOnt's communication Of the day
before after the above when be said: Iou
must be uQ to tine you promised, II possible.
And at $50 he said: +" It seems the game is be-
fore YOU the day following and the day he
agreed to be at Strasburg. Fremont telegraphed
the President: The army is pushing forward,
and ! intend to carry cut operations proposed"
That is he would be al Strasburg by O'Clock
that afternoon.
At the other side Of the Valley Lincoln was
equally inteEt upon getting Mcdowell forward,
at The same time advising the two Generals of
their respective movements and promises, and
OF the 30tb he said 70 Mcdowell: f" somewhat
apprehend Fremont's force. in its present con-
dition, may not be quite strong enough in case
IL comes in collision with the enemy. For this
additional reason I wish you to
PUSH FORWARD YOUR COLUMN
as rapidly as possible" He also referred to
Fremonts estimate Of Jackson force as eTrone-
ous. of coHrse aud said to him, as he did 10
Fremont: 1t seems the game is before you"
During the night ShieIds's men, without cav
airy, were ali at Front Royal with their Gen
erai. but tied by McDowell's orders, and de-
T-7fs
lowing TO Ord's illness, under Ricketts, al
though impeTfectly organized and provided,
might have been up but for McDowelFs mat
tenti0n and peculiar characteristics Certainly
20G09 Of his fresh and perfectly y-organized
troops should have been up before Shields.
AboIt midnight the 3Ist, iD a driving rain, a
railway train was slowly and cautiously ap-
preaching Front Royal, conveying the General
In command Of the department MCDOWELL, his
staff. and others, escorted BY the best brigade
Of cavalry then IN the service-under Gen.
Bayard, the Bucsrail Rifles, 80 strong, and some
neWiy-orranizcd artillery. Rickettss Division
was also close at hand, and it is not too much to
say that the atmosphere IN the Generals car lin
which / had the honor to be- was considerably
charged with alarm at the possibility Of attack
and capture 10y some imaginary Confederate
divisions ngstreets, say. or the force Of Is
coo that bad escaped from McDowel's observa-
tion at Fredericksburg. or some other strag-
gllng force, which cur leading Generals appear
ed 10 tiiak the Coafederates had In such over
abundance: but the General and all reached
Front Royal in safety rot far from midnight.
What were the proceedings Of Stonewall
Jsckson-his fame growing apace-
TEAT HAD CREATED SUCH coMMoTIoN. AND
TUNULT2
The affair at Winchester occurred on Sun
day, and pursuit, worth calling such, was
made. The religions observauces usual to the
sacred day having been abridged, or at least in
terfered with, Monday was observed instead,
ard. as he states. divine service was held for
the purpose Of rendering thanks to God for the
success with which lie had blessed our arms
aud 70 inpIore His continued favor; the sac
Tament being administered TO such as were
worthy ana desired to paFtake; and during the
EOjOurn the Rev. Mr. Dabney lectured the
troops in orders on their morals and against
pillagng and visiting the town without per
mits-especiaily the Tigers-and various other
misdemeaBors, and called Gen. Ewelrs atten-
~-~------~-=-----------------