The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-02-18

further accession of the. two -brigades of
Gen. Edward johnson, who had held an in
dependent command in Southwest Virginia.
This raised his force to about 1900 men.
of Shields's Division, sent to Gen. mellow
ell, to about 5000 men, was posted at Har-
risonburg. Fremont was at Franklin,
across the mountains; but one OF his bri-
gades, under Milroy, had burst beyond the
limits of the Mountain Department, and
seemed to be moving to make junction
with Banks, with the design, as Jackson
thought, of advancing on Staunton. Jack
son determined to attack these forces in
detail. Accordingly, he posted Ewell so
as to hold Banks in check, whilst he HIM
self moved to Staunton. From here he
threw forward five brigades, under Gen.
Edward johnson MAY y, to attack Mil
fastness, and took position at a point
named Mcdowell, where, reinforced by the
brigade of Schenck, he engaged Johnson,
but was forced to retire on Fremont's main
body at Franklin. Having thus thrown off
Milroy eccentrically from communication
to destroy the force under that officer. But
during eJackson's pursuit of Milroy, Banks,
discovering his danger, had retired to Stras-
burg, followed by Ewell. Jackson there
fore followed also, and at New Market he
formed junction with Ewell. Instead of
II,
Jackson diyerged on q line to the eastward
by way of Luray Valley, and moved on
Front Royal, with the view of cutting off
Banks's retreat from Strasburg, interpos-
ing betwee1i him and reinforcements, and
compelling his surrender. The 23d he en-
of 700 men there under Col Kenly; and
thence he moved to Middletown by a road
to the right of the main Valley road, hop
ing there to cut off Banks. But the lat
| ter was too quick for him so that when he
| reached Middletown, he struck only the
with his small force, offered such resist
ance as he could to the advance of Jack
son, and took position on the nights of
Winchester MAY 24) where he gave fight,
till, being assailed on both fanks, he retired
hastily to the north bank of the Potomac
| in 4S hours. Jackson continued the pur-
suit as far as Halitown, within two miles
of Harpers Ferry, where he remained till
| the Both, when, finding heavy forces con-
verging on his rear, he began q retrogade
movement up the Valley.
UNwIsE CHANGE OF PLANS.
The tidings of Jackson's apparition at
Winchester on the oath, and his subse-
quent advance to Harper's Ferry, fell like
a thunderbolt on the war-council at Wash
ington. The order for McDowell's advance
from Fredericksburg, to unite with McClel-
Ian, was instantly countermanded; and he
was directed to put 10000 men in motion
at once for the Shenandoah Valley. by the
line OF the Manassas Gap Railroad. (3)
Mcdowell obeyed, but, to use his own Ian
guage, with heavy heart" for he knew,
| what any man capable of surveying the
situation with q soldiers eye must have
known, that the movement ordered was not
! only most futile in itself, but certain to
paralyze the operations of the main army
and frustrate that campaign against Rich
mond on the issue Of which hung the for
tune OF war. In vain he pointed out that
it was impossible for him either to sue
cor Banks or cooperate with Fremont; that
his line of advance from Fredericksburg
to Front Royal was much longer than the
| enemy's line of retreat that it would take
him week or 10 days to reach the Valley,
and that by this time the occasion for his
Gen. Mcclellan urged the the resI al motive I'll sasd oI
the raid-to prevent reinforcements from
i reaching him. Deaf to all sounds of rea.
son, the war-cOuncil at Washington, like
the Dutch States-G General, of whom Prince
Eugene said, that always interfering. they
were always dying with fear,"(4) heard
i 8. Dispatch from President Lincoln Re
port on the Conduct Of the War, Vol.
p. 274.
i 4. This expression Of Prince Eugene !.
, descriptive Of an event curiously analo
} gous to that to which the above text hai
relation: Marlborough" says he. sent mI
word that Berwick having reinforced thu
: Duke OF Burgundy, the army, which wal
! now about 10000 strong, had marched t
: the assistance OF Lisle. The Deputies from
, the tes-General, alscays interfering. an
} alscGvs dyiag scjth fear, demanded OF me ,
: reinforcement for hin" stc.-Memoirs B
Prince Eugene, p. 10e.