Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 06.djvu/51

 JACKSON

JACKSON

forcements tljat lie might march against Wash- ington with an army of 40,000, but as all the available Confederate troops were needed for the defence of the Confederate capital, lie was directed to carry out his plan as far as practica- ble with his army of 15,000 elective men, and ho marclied to Harper's J^erry and watched the approach of Shields from the west toward Front Royal; while Mc^Dowell and Fremont marched from opposite directions toward Strasburg, and the combined forces of Banks and Saxton, now recov- ered from their retreat, were ready to recross the Potomac and close in on his retreat. In view of this situation he withdrew to Strasburg, carrying his prisoners and stores. He had made thirty- five miles in a single day and was now confronted on either side by McDowell and Fremont. He continued his retreat, and on Sunday night had marched his heavily laden train, prisoners and entire army, nearly sixty miles, utterly bewil- dering his opponents, and further to delay pur- suit, lie burned the bridges behind him. On Monday, June 2, he reached Mount Jackson, and on June 3, Newmarket, where Gen. Turner Ashby, with all the cavahy, was constituted a rear guard to keep off Fremont's advance. On the oth Jackson's entii'e force reached Harrison- burg. He sent his sick and wounded to Staun- ton, and on June 6, General Ashby was killed in a cavalry figlit with Fremont's advance guard near Port Republic. Jackson fought the battle of Cross Keys, Sunday, June 8, 18C2, and that of Port Republic, June 9, and the Federal forces were put to rout and followed for several miles by the victorious Confederates. June 14, 1862, was observed in Jackson's camp at Port Republic as a day of thanksgiving. This closed the Valley campaign of 1862, and Jackson was ordered to Richmond to assist in repelling McClellan's determined advance. On June 25, he reached Ashland, and after vexatious delays by reason of burned bridges, he reached the line of battle at Mechanicsville late in the afternoon of the 26th, where he reinforced Gen. A. P. Hill's division, which opened the seven days' battles around Richmond. On June 27 he gained the rear of the Federal artillery and forced tiie retreat of ^IcClellan's army down the Chickahominy toward Cold Harbor, routing it at every point until it escaped across the Chickahominy, and made the James its base. Then came the battle of White Oak Swamp, June 30, which was inde- cisive, l)ut on July l,tlie Federal forces withdrew to Malvern Hill. In the battle that followed Jackson ably supported Gen. D. H. Hill, and tlio next morning McClellan was gone from their front and found refuge under the protection of the Federal gunboats on the river. This ended the seven days' battles around Richmond. On

July 19, 1862, Jackson's army, ordered again to the valley, reached Gordonsville ready to cope with the army of General Pope, encam]ied at Culpeper Court House. On Aug. 9, 1862, the advance guards of the opposing forces met at Cedar Run, and in the afternoon, after a general engagement along the entire line, when appar- ently overpowered by the superior numbers of the Federal army, Jackson called up the reserves, drew his own sword, the first time in the war, and pressing forward .shouted: "Rally, brave men, and press forward! Your general will lead you! Jackson will lead you! Follow me! " and obeying, the faltering line rallied, and swept the Federals from the field. It was in this battle that the commander of the Stonewall brigade, Gen. C. S. Winder, was killed. On August 14, a thanksgiving service was ordered for the victory of Cedar Run. On August 13, General Lee began his march from Richmond to Gordonsville, and on the 17th McClellan evacuated the Peninsula and removed his troops to the Potomac. On the 15th Jackson left Gordonsville and encamped along the Orange railroad at the base of Clark's mountain, where Lee joined him, and on the 18th Jackson urged an immediate attack on the Fed- eral lines and by a flank movement proposed to cut off the retreat to Washington. On August 19, Pope withdrew so as to place the Rappahan- nock between the two armies, and on the 20th the entire Confederate army was in motion and Jackson was ordered to cross the river high up, make a forced march to Manassas and gain the rear of Pope's army, while other divisions were sent to Pope's front and the opposing armies marched on either side of the river, conducting a constant artillery duel as they proceeded. Meantime Jackson had passed around Pope to the westward and his coi-ps was halted at Bris- tow Station between the Federal army and Washington, entirely cut off from the rest of the Confederate army. Tiie same night he cap- tured Pojie's stores at Manassas Junction, where he found everything his army so badly needed. On the 27th the Federals commenced the battle, and on the 28tli Jackson's entire command of 18,000 men was concentrated north of the Warrentom turnpike, the left wing resting on Bull Run. The battle was fought between .sunset and nine P.M., when the Federal forces retired under cover of the darkness. On the morning of the 29th Jackson's rigiit flank was attacked by a heavy cannonade which was promptly replied to and a general engagement threatened, with the army of Jackson at great disadvantage in point of numliers and position. Longstreet soon came to their relief and the battle continued tlirough the day till darkness closed the contest and each army rested on its arms. On the morning of the