The National tribune., 1904-02-25

q withdrawal so secret, that it's first an
nouncement should be the blow struck.
Before commencing operations, however,
he sent Stuart, with body of II 800 Vir-
ginia troopers, to make the circuit Of the
Union army, by swoop around it's rear.
This having been successfully accomplish
ed about the middle of June, Lee was
ready, with the knowledge thus gained, to
strike.
POOLING THE FEDERALs.
To mask Jaekson's intended withdrawal
from the Valley, Gen. Lee detached di-
vision from the force around Richmond
(the division of Whiting) and sent it to
join Jackson. This was done Ostensta-
tiOusly, and in such way that it should
become known to Gen. Mcclellan; Lee
judging that the intelligence of this move
ment would give his antagonist the i'm
preston of revival of operations in the
Shenandoah region. If there was, as
seemed likely, a renewed intention of send
| ing forward MeDowells army to join Nc
| Clellan, a fresh appeal to the fears of the
administration for the safety of Washing
ton was the shrewdly chosen means of
again diyerting that force.
JACKSON STOLE A MARCH.
When this had had it's intended effect,
Jackson, with his whole command, now
raised to about 5000 men, was ordered
to march rapidly and secretly in the di-
rectiOn of Richmond. He set out from the
vicinity OF Port Republic lwhere he had
remained since the termination of the Val
ley campaign on the 18th of June, and
moving by way of Gordonsyille and the
line of the Virginia Central Railroad,
pushed his advance so vigorously that on
| the 25th he struck Ashland, on the Fred
| ericksburg Railroad, IL miles from Rich
m0nd. With such skill did Jackson man.
hot naf 1a11
nor yet Banks, nor Fremont, nor Nc
DOwell knew aught of it;(2) and when,
on the 25th, Jackson had reached Ash
land, and was within striking distance Of
the right wing of the Army of the Poto-
mae, Mcclellan, absorbed in his proposed
operations on the Richmond side Of the
Chickahominy, was that very day ad-
Iyancing his pickets on the Williamsburg
road, preparatory to general forward
movement in that direction. Jackson had
now reached a point where the other Con-
federate columns could begin the parts
assigned to them.
| Lees plan contemplated that as soon
as Jackson, by his manuvers OH the north
bank of the Chickahominy, should have
uncovered the passage Of the stream at
Meadow and Mechanicsyille bridges, the
divisions on the south bank should cross
and join Jackson's column, when the
whole army should sweep down the north
side OF the ChickahOminy, toward the
York River, laying hold of McClellan's
communications with White House.3 =
PORTER oBsTRUcTED HILL.
The only interference with this plan
was caused by days delay in Jacksois
movement whereby it occurred that when
on the afternoon Of the 26th, Gen. A. p
Hill, after crossing the Chiekahominy al
Meadow Bridge and driving away the
small force(4 in observation at Mechanics
j 2. A deserter from Jackson's force came
into the Union lines on the Oath, ant
stated that Jackson was moving from
. Gordonsville, along the line of the Vir
, ginia Central Railroad, to strike the righ
of the Army of the Potomac; but his stor,
!; was not credited.
: 8. Lee: Reports of the Army Of North
ern Virginia, VOL j, D. o.
4. The force here consisted Of q Regi
lment and battery.