ARMY OPERATIONS. 



107 



crest of the hill, advancing from the woods upon 

 the Federal right, which, still continuing its tire, 

 steadily withdrew toward the town. 



The overwhelming Confederate force thus 

 suddenly showing itself, made further resistance 

 unwise, and orders were sent to the left to with- 

 draw, which was done in an orderly manner. 

 By this engagement the enemy were held in 

 check five hours. 



The retreat was now continued in three paral- 

 lel columns, each protected by an efficient rear 

 guard, in the direction of Martinsburg, with the 

 hope of meeting reinforcements. The pursuit 

 of the enemy was prompt and vigorous, and 

 the retreat rapid and without loss. At Martins- 

 burg the columns halted two hours and a half, 

 and the rear guard remained in the rear of the 

 town until seven in the evening, and arrived at 

 the river at sundown, forty-eight hours after 

 the first news of the attack on Front Royal. It 

 was a march of fifty-three miles, thirty-five of 

 which were performed in one day. The scene 

 at the river when the rear guard arrived was 

 of the most animated and excited description. 

 A thousand camp fires were burning on the 

 hillside ; a thousand carriages of every de- 

 scription were crowded upon the banks of the 

 broad stream between the exhausted troops and 

 their coveted rest. The ford was too deep for 

 the teams to cross in regular succession ; only 

 the strongest horses, after a few experiments, 

 were allowed to essay the passage over before 

 morning. The single ferry was occupied by 

 the ammunition trains, the ford by the wag- 

 ons. The cavalry was secure in its form of 

 crossing. The troops only had no transporta- 

 tion. No enemy appeared in sight. Fortu- 

 nately there were several boats belonging to 

 the pontoon train brought from Strasburg, 

 which were launched and devoted exclusively 

 to the soldiers. Gen. Banks says in his report : 

 " There never were more grateful hearts in the 

 same number of men than when at midday, on 

 the 26th, we stood on the opposite shore." The 

 loss was as follows: killed, 38; wounded. 155; 

 missing, 711; total, 90-i. The wagon train 

 consisted of nearly five hundred wagons, of 

 which fifty-five were lost. All the guns were 

 saved. The loss of the enemy has not been 

 stated. 



On the morning of the 28th, Gen. Jackson 

 issued the following address to his soldiers : 



HEADQUARTERS, V. D.. \ 

 WINCHESTER, May 23, 1S62. j 

 General Order, JYb. 53. 



Within four weeks this army has made long and rap- 

 id marches, fought six combats and two battles, sig- 

 nally defeating the enemy in each one, capturing several 

 stands of colors and pieces of artillery, with numerous 

 prisoners and vast medical and army 'stores, and final- 

 ly driven the boastful host, which was ravishing our 

 beautiful country, into utter rout. The General com- 

 manding would warmly express to the officers and 

 men under his command his joy in their achievements, 

 and his thanks for their brilliant gallantry in action, 

 and their obedience under the hardships of forced 

 marches, often more painful to the brave soldier than 

 the dangers of battle. 



The explanation of the severe exertions to which the 

 commanding General called the army, which were en- 

 dured bythem with such cheerful confidence in him, is 

 now given in the victory of yesterday. He receives 

 this proof of their confidence in the past with pride 

 and gratitude,andasks only a similar confidence in the 

 future. But his chief duty to-day, and that of the 

 army, is to recognize devoutly the hand of a protecting 

 Providence in the brilliant successes of the last three 

 days, which have given us the result of a great victory 

 without great losses, and to make the oblation of our 

 thanks to God for his mercies to us and our country in 

 heartfelt acts of religious worship. For this purpose 

 the troops will remain in camp to-day, suspending as 

 far as practicable all military exercises, and the chap- 

 lains 01 the regiments will hold divine service in their 

 several charges at 4 o'clock p. u., to-day. 



By order of Mai. -Gen. JACKSON. 



R. D. DANBY, Asst. Adj.-Gen. 



When the news of the attack on the Maryland 

 regiment at Front Royal on the 23d, reach- 

 ed Gen. Geary, who, with his force, was 

 charged with the protection of the Manassaa 

 Gap railroad, he immediately began to move 

 to Manassas Junction. His troops hearing the 

 most extravagant stories of the fate of the 

 Maryland regiment, and supposing they were 

 about to be swallowed up, burnt their tents 

 and destroyed a quantity of arms. Gen. Dur- 

 yea, at Catlett's Station, became alarmed on 

 learning of the withdrawal of Gen. Geary, took 

 his three New York regiments, leaving the 

 Pennsylvania one behind, and hastened back 

 to Centreville, and telegraphed to "Washington 

 for help. He left a large quantity of army 

 stores behind, and also for two days his camp 

 equipage. A panic prevailed at Catlett's Sta- 

 tion and Manassas Junction for two days. At 

 night the camps were kept in constant alarm 

 by the sentinels firing at stumps or bowing 

 bushes, which they mistook for Confederate 

 guerillas. The alarm spread to Washington, 

 and Secretary Stanton issued orders calling for 

 the militia of the loyal States to defend that 

 city. 



The following is the despatch sent to the 

 Governor of Massachusetts : 



WASHIXGTOW, May 25, 1S62. 

 Totlie Governor of Massachusetts : 



Intelligence from various quarters leaves no doubt 

 that the enemy in great force are marching on Wash- 

 ington. You "will please organize and forward imme- 

 diately all the militia and volunteer force in your 

 State. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. 



This alarm at Washington, and the call for 

 its defence, produced a most indescribable panic 

 in the cities of the Northern States, on Sunday, 

 the 25th. and two or three days afterward. 



The Governor of New York, on Sunday 

 night, the 25th, telegraphed to Buffalo, Roches- 

 ter, Syracuse, and other cities as follows : 



Orders from Washington render it necessary to for- 

 ward to that city all the available militia force. What 

 can BufTalo do? E. D. MORGAN. 



Governor Curtin, of Pennsylvania, issued the 

 following order : 



HEADQUARTERS PENNSYLVANIA MILITIA, ) 

 HARRISBUEG, May 26. ) 

 General Order, So. 23. 



On pressing requisition of the President of the Unit- 

 ed States in the present emergency, it is ordered that 



