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On May 9, in anticipation of a movement down the Valley, he had ordered thirty days' forage, besides other supplies, to be accumulated at Staunton. "I congratulate you on your recent victory at M'Dowell.
From this point the position, and to some extent the strength, of the enemy could be seen. In the valley in which M'Dowell is situated was observed a considerable force of infantry. To the right, on a height, were two regiments, but too distant for an effective fire to that point. Almost a mile in front was a battery supported by infantry.
The infantry halted for some hours in M'Dowell in order that rations might be issued, but the Federals made three-and-twenty miles, and were already too far ahead to be overtaken. On the 10th and the 11th the Confederates made forced marches, but the enemy set fire to the forests on the mountain-side, and this desperate measure proved eminently successful.
Here were the men he had so often led to triumph, the men he had trained himself, the men of the Valley, of the First Manassas, of Kernstown, and M'Dowell. The Stonewall regiments were before him, and he was unable to restrain them; devotion such as theirs was not to be silenced at such a moment, and the wild battle-yell of his own brigade set his pulses tingling.
The object of his manoeuvres was the destruction not of Fremont's advanced guard, but of Banks' army; and if his numbers were seriously reduced it would be impossible to attain that end. Fremont's brigades, moreover, protected no vital point. A decisive victory at M'Dowell would have produced but little effect at Washington.
On May 7 he had been advised by his scouts and spies that Jackson and Johnson had combined, and that they were advancing to attack him at M'Dowell. At 10 A.M. the next day Schenck's brigade arrived from Franklin, after a march of thirty-four miles in twenty-three hours, and a little later the enemy's scouts were observed on the lofty crest of Sitlington's Hill. The day wore on.
He it was who placed the squadrons across Fremont's road from Wardensville, who ordered the demonstrations against Banks, before both M'Dowell and Front Royal, and those which caused Fremont to retreat after Port Republic. More admirable still was the quickness with which he recognised the use that might be made of mounted riflemen.
The M'Dowell expedition had neutralised, for the time being, Fremont's 20,000 men; and Banks was now isolated, exposed to the combined attack of Jackson, Ewell, and Edward Johnson. One incident remains to be mentioned. During the march to Mount Solon some companies of the 27th Virginia, who had volunteered for twelve months, and whose time had expired, demanded their discharge.
So, notwithstanding his danger, he preferred to postpone his advance till Jackson's defeat should set M'Dowell free. Fatal was the mistake which retained McDowell's divisions in the Valley, and sent Shields in pursuit of Jackson. While the Federal army, waiting for reinforcements, lay astride the noisome swamps of the Chickahominy, Lee was preparing a counterstroke on the largest scale.
Fremont's return of April 30 is as follows: Milroy's Brigade 4,807 Schenck's Brigade 3,335 of May 10: Milroy 3,694 Schenck 3,335 of May 31: Milroy 2,914 Schenck 3,335 Schenck reports that the total force ENGAGED at M'Dowell was 1768 of Milroy's brigade, and about 500 of his own, total 2268; and that he himself brought to M'Dowell 1800 infantry, a battery, and 250 cavalry say, 1600 men.
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