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Napoleon-that, through the blessing of God, it met the thus far victorious enemy and turned the fortunes of the day." The report never saw the light, and was lost in the accidents of the war. That of the Commanding General has been frequently criticised as unreliable, and as slighting the claims of the Virginia troops on that day. Certainly it made but imperfect mention of Jackson; the newspaper accounts naturally followed the general tenour of the official narrative, and reflected its partialities; and so it happened that Jackson's brilliant story at Manassas was for a long time unknown, and obtained many imperfect versions, and emerged slowly to the surface of history. While so many were vaunting their exploits in the newspapers, Jackson was comparatively ignored, not doubt to his own painful surprise, and much to the impatience of his friends, who were aware of his valuable services. To his wife. he wrote: "You must not be concerned at seeing other parts of the army lauded, and my brigade not mentioned. 'Truth is powerful, and will prevail.' You think that the papers ought to say more about me. My brigade is not a brigade of newspaper correspondents. I know that the First brigade was the first to meet and pass our retreating forces, to push on with no other aid than the smiles of God, to boldly take its position with the artillery that was under my command, to arrest the victorious foe in his onward progress, to hold him in check until reinforcements arrived, and finally to charge bayonets, and, thus advancing, pierce the enemy's centre."

Truth has prevailed, and has since testified, not only that Jackson more than any other brigade commander saved the day at Manassas, but that more than the Commanding General he understood the extent of the success; that he looked at the retreating army with eager and excited eyes; that he said: "Give me ten thousand men, and I will be in Washington to-night." But the inspiration was not caught, and the fruits of Manassas were not more than the visible ones of the battle-field.

Some months after this famous battle, Jackson made another limited appearance before the public in command of an expedition towards the head waters of the Potomac, designed to protect the Valley of Virginia against Gen. Banks, and to clear the counties of Hardy, Hampshire, and Morgan, of the Federal troops which had so long harassed them. He was advanced to the rank of

Major-General, and assigned to take command at Winchester of various detached bodies of troops ordered to concentrate there, including the commands of Gens. Loring and Henry R. Jackson, which had hitherto operated in Western Virginia. Here too he regained his old brigade; and with an army of about ten thousand men, he moved in the early days of January, 1862, in the direction of Bath, thence to Romney, effectually reconquering from the enemy the country about these places, wrecking the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and making some important captures. But the results of the expedition were scarcely in proportion to its hardships; they were diminished by the recall of Loring from Romney by the War Department at Richmond, overriding Jackson's authority; most of the country reoccupied was again laid open to the enemy; the sum of success was slight, the hardship and distress of the expedi tion memorable, and the addition to Jackson's reputation scarcely perceptible.

CHAPTER XVI.

Description of the Shenandoah Valley. Its importance as an avenue to Washington.-Gen. Jackson retreats from Winchester, and returns and fights the battle of Kernstown. His first and last defeat.-Analysis of the enemy's "On-to-Richmond."-Four armies to converge on the Confederate capital.-Situation of Gen. Jackson.-Reinforced by Ewell's division.-His rapid movement to McDowell, and its designs.-He falls upon the enemy at Front Royal.-He chases Banks' army through Winchester and across the Potomac.-President Lincoln "sets a trap" for him.-Gen. McDowell's remonstrance.-Battles of Cross Keys and Port Republic.-Summary of the Valley campaign.

THE Valley of the Shenandoah, of which we have seen Jackson already appointed, in some respect, the guardian, and where he was to win the most of his fame, is that portion of Virginia lying between the Blue Ridge and North Mountains, and extending from the head waters of the Shenandoah near Staunton to the Potomac. It afforded a natural avenue into the territory of the North, and enabled the Confederate forces in Virginia to menace the flank of Washington during the entire period of the war. Two principal places of entrance from Maryland are Harper's Ferry and Williamsport. The Valley is tolerably open until Strasburg is reached, where, in the centre, begins a separate chain-the Massanutten range which splits the valley for just fifty miles, where, near Harrisonburg, it abruptly ends. At the head of the western division stands Strasburg: at the head of the eastern, Front Royal. The country thus described contained the most beautiful and fruitful fields of Virginia. The scenery was exquisite and picturesque; there were animated pictures of splendid landscape to be obtained from the spurs of the Blue Ridge; tall trees skirted the streams, bounding well-garnished fields; mighty forests stretched up the sides of the mountains; and the summer blooms burdened the airs of a delicious climate with constant perfumes. It was not the picturesqueness of sterile peaks and frowning rocks. The land was quick with growing life; green-clad fields basked in the sunshine; gentle, round-bosomed hills nestled in the arms of the great moun

tain; the forests opened with vistas of cultivation; and on the tossing plumes of the wheat-fields the light and shade of the day chased each other. The region was not inappropriately called the "Garden of Virginia."

Here was not only one of the most beautiful and romantic theatres of the war, but from a military point of view one of the most important districts of the Confederacy. While it held the proper gate to Washington, its possession by the enemy would turn upon the Confederates almost equal danger and involve the security of Richmond. A short march through the Blue Ridge, at Snicker's, Ashby's, or Manassas' Gaps, would enable the enemy to take Manassas Junction in flank and reverse, and assail the Confederate force there at an enormous advantage. We have already seen that to guard against this danger, Gen. Jackson had been sent to the lower part of the Valley. The key of the region was Winchester. This ancient town was less than thirty miles from the Potomac; and turnpike roads converged towards it from Romney, Martinsburg, Sheppardstown, Charlestown, and Berryville. Over these roads, the Federal forces, reported to be near Romney and Williamsport, could easily advance with their trains and artillery; and it was therefore important that they should be closely watched in a movement which might affect the whole military situation in Virginia.

When Gen. Johnston retreated from Centreville, and commenced his masterly movement to unite his army with that under Gen. Magruder on the Peninsula, for the defence of Richmond, it became critically important that Jackson-who was still at Winchester, and who constituted, as it were, the left of Johnston's army-should check or amuse the enemy in this direction. But Jackson's army had been diminished now to about 4,000 men. In front of him at Charlestown was Gen. Banks, with about 35,000 men; it being understood that the design of this commander was to occupy Winchester, and after defeating or crippling Jackson, to move the bulk of his forces rapidly to Manassas, and take part in McClellan's new combination against Richmond. On the 12th March, 1862, Banks occupied Winchester, and Shields' division was advanced as far up the Valley as Strasburg. Jackson continued to retreat until he arrived at the little town of Mount Jackson, nearly opposite Luray, and about forty-five miles from Win

chester. Shields, having desisted from pursuit, returned to Winchester, and occupied it with three brigades; while the other forces of Banks commenced their march to Manassas, well assured that no serious trouble was to be apprehended from Jackson, and that they might now take their part against Johnston, who lingered on the banks of the Rappahannock.

At once apprehending the necessity of a rapid diversion, Jackson hurried forward by forced marches to Winchester. In the afternoon of the 23d March, he came up with the enemy's rear at the little village of Kernstown, about three miles from Winchester, on the road to Strasburg, and one of the most unequal and brilliant battles of the war ensued. For once Jackson had not a correct idea of the force he engaged; he had been informed that the enemy had only four regiments in Winchester, and he ultimately found himself engaging a force triple his numbers. But he struggled for the field desperately and furiously. According to his official report his infantry engaged was 2,742 men; and he estimated the force of the enemy present at 11,000, of whom "over 8,000," he declares, were probably engaged. But even against these odds it appeared at one time that he would win the field. The fury of the battle did not relent as the sun sunk beneath the horizon. Jackson watched the contest with an eager and animated eye, shouting, again and again: "One more volley, my brave boys!" as charge after charge of the enemy's infantry was repulsed, and it was evident that the vigour of their attack must soon be spent. But while Jackson, on his high sorrel charger, towered above the smoke, watching for the conclusion of the day, he suddenly noticed his old brigade retiring, under the command of Gen. Garnett. He galloped towards them, stern and menacing. "Beat the rally," he shouted, seizing a fugitive drummer, and holding him by the shoulder in a storm of balls. But it was too late; the enemy had penetrated the opening, the day was lost; and Jackson, without giving any order to retreat, moved sullenly among his troops, who had done everything that human courage and endurance could accomplish, and even at the last fell back without panic and surrendered a field covered with nearly one-fifth of their numbers killed and wounded.

Kernstown was not a Confederate victory. It was Jackson's first and last defeat. It had been fought on imperfect information,

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