The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-12-21

--s----EfeutenaFt General Scott.
 incur for that officer the cordial dis trust of Jefferson Davis forever after ward the Federal government and the people of the northern and western states set to work with furious en- ergy to counteract the reverses suf- fered in the beginning. Congress au- thorized the enlistment of half a mil lion of men for three years, an in crease of the navy and stupendous loans with which to strengthen the sinews of war
 Lieutenant General Scott, now past seventy years of age, hung up his lau- reIed sword and yielded the command Of the Federal armies to younger and more active officer, General George B. Mcclellan
 With two Federal armies ready to move into vfrgtnia-that of Mcclellan af Washington and that under General Banks opposite Leesburg-to say noth- ing Of considerable bodies of troops haressing the northern counties about the headwaters Of the Potomac, the Confederate prospects for the spring of 1862 were decidedly threatening. To protect this portion of the state and to guard the lower Shenandoah valley against General Banks, the Confeder ate government determined to send force to Winchester. This force, organ 1Zed under the official title of the Army of the Monongahela," was placed un- der the command of "Stonewall" Jack son, now advanced to the rank of ma jor general
 This was great news to the Filing hams, not only for the naive reason that it seemed to them like throwing an fmpregna ble guard around Belle Bos quet and the whole valley, but also and especially because of Captain Robert Eilingham's part in the growing pres fige of the '.StonewalI'' brigade.
 The valley of Virginia comprised within that section of the Appalachian plateau bounded on the east by the Blue Ridge and on the west by a range of the Aneghenies called there the North mountains, stretches from the headwaters of the Shenandoah near Staunton on the south to the Potomac on the north. a distance of considerably more than a hundred miles At the upper end this valley Is more than forty miles wide, while at Strasburg, fifty miles south of the Potomac, the extreme width is scarcely twenty-five.
 A broad macadamized road, the fla nous Valley pike, traverses the entire region from north to south, with lateral roads extending to the mountain boun- uaries on either side, those toward the Blue Ridge connecting through various gaps with the railroads of eastern Vir- ginia.
 This beautiful and fertile region called for protection for its own sake as well as for that of it's patriotic pop ulation (of which the Ellinghams were a fair samplel. it's numerous black slaves and the rich supplies which it's lush meadow lands and broad planta- tions furnished.
 It was especially important from southern military viewpoint that the valley should be held intact by Con- federate army. No portion of the re zion could be given up without serious detriment to operations north of Rich mond.
 If this valley is lost Virginia is lost.'' was Jackson'S watchword.
 Early in January, 1862, Captain FL lfngham wro-e to his sister in Rich mond: We have only conjecture as to our destination. General Jackson keeps his secrets so well as to deceive not only the enemy, but ourselves
 Without losing any time Jackson now surprise the Federal garrison under General Kelly at Romney. The weath- Ar was feaxful. even for ordinary tray