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Jackson quickly took up a very strong position on the north side of Broad Run, behind the burnt railway bridge, and sent Stuart's troopers with two battalions of "foot-cavalry" to raid the base at Manassas, replenish the exhausted Confederate supplies, and do the northward scouting. The situation of the rival armies on the night of the twentyseventh forms one of the curiosities of war.
The intense and tireless Jackson was indeed the chief's "right arm," and more than that, a keen intelligence, instant to see and seize the right way, and to follow it so swiftly that his rarely defeated infantry earned the proud nickname of "foot-cavalry." Out of the many gallant officers of the Southern armies were some others whose names became familiar throughout the North.
Having made up his mind, the emperor in the evening sent his orders to the Duke of Trevisa: "My cousin," said Napoleon to the Marshal Berthier, "give orders to the Duke of Trevisa to put on march, to- morrow, at daybreak, all the tired and lame soldiers of the corps of Prince Eckmuehl and the viceroy, of the foot-cavalry, and the young guard, and to direct the whole upon Mojaisk.
With this vivid picture of an army in a panic, we shall again take up Von Borcke's personal narrative at the point where we left it: "The broken nature of the ground was against all cavalry operations, and though we pushed forward with all our will, it was with difficulty we could keep up with Jackson's 'Foot-cavalry, as this famous infantry was often called.
"Stonewall" Jackson had started on another raid, and any moment might see his gray "foot-cavalry" swarming into the vicinity.
In pursuance of this plan, the leaders on arriving at the ford of Green River chose out a force of six hundred men, with the best mounts and equipment; and at daybreak on October 6th this force of picked mounted riflemen, followed by some fifty "foot-cavalry" eager to join in the pursuit, pushed rapidly on to the Cowpens.
Who would have supported Stuart more expeditiously than the "foot-cavalry" of the Second Army Corps? Lee's position at Fredericksburg, strong as it might appear, was exceedingly disadvantageous. A position which an army occupies with a view to decisive battle should fulfil four requirements: It should not be too strong, or the enemy will not attack it.
So far they were undiscovered. But the Gap was only ten miles by airline from Pope's extreme right, and the tell-tale cloud of dust, floating down the mountain side above them, must soon be sighted, signaled, noted, and attended to. Only speed, the speed of "foot-cavalry," could now prevail, and not a man must be an inch behind.
His generals had learned to trust him. Success and adulation had not indeed made him more expansive. He was as reticent as ever, and his troops the foot-cavalry as they were now called were still marched to and fro without knowing why or whither.
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