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 240 Southern Historical Society Papers. with McDowell's advance on Richmond, but in vain. McDowell says, May 24, in reply to the order sending half his corps after Jackson: "I beg to say that co-operation between Gen. Fremont and myself, to cut off Jackson and Ewell, is not to be counted upon, even if it is not a practical impossibility; next, that I am entirely beyond helping distance of Gen. Banks, and no celerity or vigor, will avail, so far as he is concerned ; next, that by a glance at the map it will be seen that the line of retreat of the enemy's forces up the Valley is shorter than mine to go against him. It will take a week or ten days for the force to get to the valley by the route which will give it food and forage, and by that time the enemy will have retired. 72 I shall gain nothing for you there, and shall lose much for you here. It is therefore not only on personal grounds that I have a heavy heart in the matter, but that I feel it throws us all back; and from Richmond north we shall have all our large masses paralyzed, and shall have to repeat what we have just accomplished." 73 McClellan says: "It will be remem- bered that the order for the co-operation of Gen. McDowell was simply suspended, not revoked, and therefore I was not at liberty to abandon the northern approach to Richmond." 74 This fact, together with the necessity of protecting his communications with the York river, caused him to retain a part of his army on the north side of the Chickahominy, while the remainder was sepe- rated from him by that troublesome stream,— a circumstance that contributed not a little to his subsequent defeat. The Federal administration, however, adhered to its plans, and hastened McDowell's movement to the Valley. The moral "'To the Gallant Men of Ohio: I have the astounding intelligence that the seat of our beloved government is threatened with invasion, and am called upon by the Secretary of War for troops to repel and overwhelm the ruthless invaders.' "... But enough of gubernatorial rhetoric. The effect of Jackson's movement was unmistakable. "Almost half a million of men offered themselves for the defence of Washington within twenty-four hours after the issue of the proclamation." Tenney adds that this "panic" was "extremely disastrous to the Federal cause." He little appreciated Jackson's boldness, who remained at Har- per's Ferry until McDowell's advance had occupied Front Royal. McDowell's testimony. McClellan's report.