Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 40.djvu/182

 178 4. Tell Major Harmon to have eighteen additional battle flags for infantry made at once.

5. Answer above when received.

After giving my personal attention to the foregoing instructions in Charlottesville, which detained me there the night of the 20th, I returned the next day, by the general's order, to Gordonsville, where I received by telegraph from him at Frederick Hall the following additional instructions:

"June 21, Gordonsville. Mem: Let Lawton's troops that come from Charlottesville this morning proceed to Louisa Courthouse.

"Send back empty trains to take up Lawton's troops that are marching on the way.

"At Louisa Courthouse let the cars take up Swell's troops and send back empty cars for those troops of Ewell that are yet marching.

"Telegraph as trains arrive.

"Communicate with Colonel Jackson."

The method by which this important movement of Jackson's troops from the Valley was accomplished—as may be inferred, if not fully understood, from the foregoing instructions—was by having his army stores, artillery and baggage forwarded by the burden trains and by causing the empty passenger trains to proceed to the rear of his line of march (which was chosen near the railroad), and take up the hindmost brigades, they, in a couple of hours, were carried the distance of a whole day's march. In this way, by Saturday night, nearly the whole command, with its impedimenta, was transferred without difficulty or delay to Fredericks Hall, a station on the Central Railroad, fifty miles from Richmond, where it rested on Sunday, and whence, on the following day, June 23, it took up its line of march across the country towards Ashland, on the Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad, within twelve miles of Richmond, arriving there on the evening of the 25th.