Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/255

Rh 18th, was spent resting in camps in one of the most delightsome portions of the Shenandoah valley, its charms heightened by the full flush of springtime, and in religious observances; the general himself riding to the camp of the Stonewall brigade, on the south bank of North river, where his adjutant-general, Maj. Robert Lewis Dabney (a revered doctor of the Presbyterian church), preached a soul-stirring sermon.

Nineteen days had now elapsed since Jackson left Ewell in his old camps in the Elk Run valley. Learning that Jackson had been reinforced by Ewell, although probably not informed as to Jackson's movements to attack Fremont's advance. Banks evacuated Harrisonburg on the 1st of May and withdrew to New Market, whence, after detaching Shields' division to march toward Luray, on the way to join McDowell's "on to Richmond," he continued down the valley to Strasburg, which he proceeded to fortify, in compliance with his first orders from McClellan. Shields left New Market May 12th, after the departure of Banks, with orders to march by way of Luray and Front Royal toward Fredericksburg, taking with him about 11,000 men and leaving Banks about 8,000; of this number, the latter placed 1,000 at and near Front Royal, on May 16th, to protect the Manassas Gap railroad, the bridges of that road, and the bridges of the turnpike leading to Winchester, in that vicinity; in this also obeying McClellan's original orders.

With Fremont's large command safely disposed of at Franklin and the large force of Shields removed from the valley, Jackson found himself possessed of a larger tactic force than Banks had in hand, after he had arranged with Ewell, with the consent of General Lee, to join him in a movement on Banks, holding now the portal of the western part of the Shenandoah valley at Strasburg with the aid of defensive works.

On May 17th, the day Jackson's advance reached North river at Bridgewater and was again fairly in the Valley, with Ewell's division only some 20 miles away to the east, as the crow flies, the Federal authorities ordered McDowell to move upon Richmond, as soon as Shields' division should join him, to become the right wing of McClellan's army, now in front and in sight of that city, but always holding himself in position "to cover the