ARMY OPERATIONS. 



113 



in a condition for an immediate movement, but 

 affairs finally became quiet, and part of a 

 night's rest was obtained. On the next morn- 

 ing, the 10th, orders to march were issued, and 

 the army was soon in motion back to Harrison- 

 burg, a distance of twelve miles, which it 

 reached in a pitiless storm during the after- 

 noon. On Wednesday it moved eighteen miles 

 to New Market, and on Thursday reached Mt. 

 Jackson, seven miles, and encamped for rest. 

 Some forces of Gen. Jackson's army returned 

 to Harrisonburg almost as soon as the Federal 

 troops had left it. The division of Gen. Shields 

 also fell back to New Market. 



The force of Gen. Jackson was generally es- 

 timated by his opponents at twenty-five thou- 

 sand men. The following regiments were in- 

 cluded in it: the 1st, 2d, 10th, 13th, 21st, 

 25th, 31st, 33d, 37th, 42d, 52d, 57th, and 58th 

 Virginia; the 6th, 8th, and 9th Louisiana ; 1st 

 Maryland; 21st North Carolina; 16th Missis- 

 sippi, and 15th Alabama regiments of infan- 

 try, and the 2d regiment of Confederate in- 

 fantry, and Major Wheat's battalion of Louisi- 

 ana Tigers. The cavalry included the 2d, 6th, 

 7th Virginia, 1st Maryland, about twenty 

 eight companies. The artillery exceeded thirty 

 pieces in number. 



The force of Gen. Fremont, on leaving Frank- 

 lin, was stated to be about twenty thousand men. 

 Throughout the entire period of this expedition 

 the storms of rain were incessant, and the 

 roads in an unusually bad condition. 



A review of the facts thus stated shows that 

 there was no concert of action between the 

 forces actively engaged in the pursuit. The 

 controlling head, the War Department, from 

 which the orders to pursue issued, was too far 

 distant from the scene of operations. 



It should be stated in this connection, that 

 on the very day on which Gen. Jackson at- 

 tacked the 1st Maryland under Col. Kenly at 

 Front Royal, the 23d of May, the Confederate 

 General, Heath, in the western part of the 

 Mountain Department, advanced rapidly and 

 boldly with nearly three thousand men and at- 

 tacked Col. Crook, acting brig.-gen., at Green- 

 brier Bridge, thirty-five miles from McDowell, 

 and nine miles from Camp Alleghany. The 

 command of Col. Crook consisted of the 36th 

 and 44th Ohio and some batteries. The ad- 

 vance of Gen. Heath was met with so much 

 vigor and promptness, that his forces were 

 soon defeated, with the loss of his four pieces 

 of artillery, and one hundred and fifty killed 

 and wounded, and three hundred stand of 

 arms, and a number taken prisoners. On his 

 retreat, the Greenbrier Bridge was burned to 

 check or prevent pursuit. This affair occurred 

 on the day previous to the reception of the or- 

 der by Gen. Fremont to march to the aid of 

 Gen. Banks. The ill success of this enterprise 

 was such that it failed to cause any diversion 

 from Gen. Fremont's command. 



This exploit of Gen. Jackson, undoubtedly 

 one of the most brilliant and successful of the 



VOL II. 8 



war, if its objects are considered, introduced 

 into the whole campaign in Virginia a disturb- 

 ing element of considerable magnitude. It di- 

 verted large masses of men from movements 

 designed to accelerate events on the peninsula, 

 delayed the advance of Gen. McClellan, and 

 deprived him of the reinforcements he expect- 

 ed. The time required for the transfer of 

 troops in the South and Southwest, where the 

 Confederate campaign had been a failure, to 

 Richmond, the most important position of the 

 Confederacy, was thus gained, and when Gen. 

 McClellan was next prepared to move, he 

 found the enemy in accumulating force in front 

 of him. 



On the 25th of May, Gen. McClellan issued 

 a general order which was read throughout the 

 camps, directing the troops as they advanced 

 beyond the Chickahominy, to be prepared for 

 battle at a moment's notice, and to be entirely un- 

 encumbered, with the exception of ambulanoes 

 to carry three days' rations in their haver- 

 sacks, leaving their knapsacks with their wag- 

 ons, which were on the eastern side of the 

 river, carefully parked. Besides practical di- 

 rections as to conduct, this order says to offi- 

 cers and soldiers : " Let them bear in mind that 

 the Army of the Potomac has never yet been 

 checked, and let them preserve in battle perfect 

 coolness and confidence, the sure forerunners 

 of success. They must keep well together, 

 throw away no shots, but aim carefully and 

 low, and above all things rely upon the bayo- 

 net." 



The divisions from the corps of Gens. Heint- 

 zelman and Keyes were among the first to cross 

 the Chickahominy. They took a position on 

 the right bank somewhat advanced therefrom. 

 The right wing rested near New Bridge, the 

 centre at Seven Pines, and the left flank on 

 the White Oak Swamp. Gen. Sumner's corps 

 remained on the east side of the river. On the 

 30th, the Confederate Gen. Johnston made ar- 

 rangements for an attack upon the Federal 

 army, for the purpose of cutting off, if possible, 

 the corps of Gen. Heintzelman and Keyes be- 

 fore they could be joined by Gen. Sumner. 

 He selected the divisions of Gens. Longstreet, 

 Huger, G. W. Smith, D. H. Hill, and Whiting. 

 His plan was that Gens. Hill and Longstreet 

 should advance by the road to Williamsburg 

 and make the attack in front, and that Gen. 

 Huger should move on the road to Charles 

 City and attack in flank the troops assailed by 

 Gens. Hill and Longstreet. Gen. Smith was 

 ordered to the junction of the New Bridge 

 road and the Nine Mile road, and to be in 

 readiness to fall on the right flank of Gen. 

 Keyes and to cover the left of Gen. Longstreet. 

 The forces of Gens. Hill, Longstreet, and Smith 

 were in position early on the morning of Sat- 

 urday, May 31, and waited until afternoon for 

 Gen. Huger to get into position. Prince do 

 Joinville. who was a competent spectator, thus 

 describes the scenes which followed this attack : 



" At the moment it was thus attacked the 



