Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/273

Rh that had been prevailing the previous day passed by, and the encouraging and cheerful sun gladdened Jackson's men who were resting at Strasburg, and helped Winder's men in their early march to the same place, which they reached about noon and passed to the rear of their comrades, who in line of battle had been waiting for them. Maj. John Alexander Harman, Jackson's tireless quartermaster, was busy all day pushing the great wagon train to the rear, while those in charge of the Federal prisoners made a full day's march in the same direction. Fremont's advance did not put in an appearance in front of Strasburg until late in the afternoon, Ashby having contested the way in a series of remarkable engagements, in which hundreds contended with thousands, impeding the enemy's progress and keeping them within the mountains until Jackson had safely passed his trains and his collected army to beyond Strasburg.

Once in the valley where he could deploy his forces, Fremont drove in the cavalry, but Jackson supported these with Ewell and other troops, who repulsed the Federal attack and induced Fremont to withdraw to the rear, where he remained idle the rest of the day, fearful of results if he should bring on a general engagement with Jackson while he was not certain of any support from McDowell, whose advance, instead of marching directly to Strasburg as ordered, had by mistake taken the road toward Winchester from Front Royal, and so did not appear upon the scene during the day, except a cavalry brigade under Bayard, which took the direct road to Strasburg, but failed to reach it in time to be of any assistance to Fremont.

It is interesting to pause for a moment and review the movements of the past three days; Friday morning Jackson was 50 miles from Strasburg, in front of Harper's Ferry; Fremont was at Moorefield, 38 miles from Strasburg, with the head of his army 10 miles in advance; the main body of Shields' division of McDowell's army was not more than 20 miles from Strasburg, for his advance had entered Front Royal, but 12 miles away, before midday, while McDowell, in person, was following with two divisions close in his rear; yet, by Sunday night Jackson, encumbered with prisoners and a long train of captured stores, had marched between 50 and 60 miles,