THE OPERATIONS IN VIRGINIA. 
241 
of “Joe” Johnston himself. The manner in which Magruder held 
McClellan is another illustration of the truth of the remark : “ the right 
use of a detaining force is the principal weapon in the military 
armoury.” 
McClellan marched from White House to the Chickahominy, which 
was difficult to pass, rather by the swampy nature of the ground, than by 
its depth or width ; he crossed it with most of his force, and left 
General Porter on the north bank to watch the Confederates about 
Hanover Court House, to drive them back, and thus connect McClellan’s 
own movement with that which he had proposed to McDowell from 
Fredericksburg. Joseph Johnston fought the Federals in a two days’ 
indecisive battle at Fair Oaks, May 31st and June 1st. He was 
wounded ; but McClellan’s movement on his capital was paralysed, and 
the Federals did practically nothing except entrench themselves on their 
front facing Richmond for a few weeks. The Confederates were now 
commanded by Lee in the Peninsula, and the temporary loss of 
Johnston, a very able officer indeed, was more than met by the 
appointment of a strategist as ready, and as imperturbable as our own 
great Duke of Marlborough himself. 
Lee did not dare to assault the enemies’ front, which was soon very 
strong, with not two-thirds of their numbers, so he determined to test 
the strength of their line of communication with White House and, with 
this view, sent Stuart with his cavalry on a raid. Stuart rode right 
round the Federals, doing them every possible damage en route , and 
back to Richmond. On his information, Lee determind to assault their 
position on the left bank of the Chickahominy, and this movement 
began on June 25th. 
But, meanwhile, events took place in the Shenandoah Valley, which 
had a disastrous effects on the morale of the Federals, and brought about 
the ruin of their military combinations. 
We have seen that Banks and Fremont from the North and the West 
were moving into the Valley, and, in the beginning of May, Milroy was 
with the right of Fremont’s force moving towards Staunton. Fremont 
himself was about to enter the Valley further north and Banks was 
south of Strasburg. 
Jackson now fell on Milroy near McDowell’s, defeated him, and 
forced him to retire towards Franklin, where he joined Fremont. 
Jackson, with his swiftly moving “foot cavalry ,” as his troops were 
called, advanced on Banks, who fell back into his works at Strasburg, 
and, turning to the right, attacked and destroyed a Federal force, under 
Kenly, at Front Royal, and thence pressed forward against Banks, who, 
hearing that his flank was thus threatened, retreated in confusion to 
Winchester, where he stood, but was defeated. 
The news of Banks’ reverse and that Jackson was on the Potomac, 
alarmed the people of Washington, and the advisers of the government 
insisted on turning back General McDowell, who was already on the 
march to join McClellan, and ordered him to send a force under Shields 
into the Valley. Jackson was now in some danger of being cut off 
from Staunton by the Federals from the West and East ; but he rapidly 
counter-marched, after liberally helping himself to Banks’ stores at 
Strasburg, and interposed between his opponents, and, regaining his 
base, faced about, beat Fremont at Cross Keys and Shields at Port 
Republic, and got back to Staunton covered with glory. 
