Records Related to Augusta County Regiments



From: T. J. JACKSON.
MAY 13, 1862.

Summary:
During May, 1862, General Thomas J. Jackson and General Richard Ewell commanded Confederate forces in the Shenandoah Valley. In this letter, Jackson attempts to coordinate movements with Ewell in the aftermath of victory at McDowell. He mentions a possible advance on Staunton by Union General Nathaniel P. Banks.


Maj. Gen. R. S. EWELL:

MAY 13, 1862.

MY DEAR GEN.:

Your dispatch of yesterday has been received. In following the enemy I only succeeded in capturing a few prisoners and some public property. I am on my return.

My opinion is that Banks has three days' cooked rations, so that he might move rapidly to Winchester in case I advanced on that place, or else he has taken this precaution from an apprehension that you might attempt to turn him at New Market, and that he would have to fight and might have to fall back. My belief is that he is aiming not to form a junction with the Fredericksburg troops, but with Fremont, and if practicable to move on Staunton before Fremont arrives. If he leaves the valley at this time, not only Winchester, but the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad would be exposed, both of which it is important to the enemy to hold. Can not McVicar ascertain whether troops are passing to Fredericksburg Strasburg?

If Banks goes down the valley I wish you to follow him, so that he may feel that if he leaves the valley, not only will we reoccupy it, but that he will also be liable to be attacked so soon as he shall have sufficiently weakened his forces on this side the Shenandoah. My opinion is that Banks would be very averse to diminishing his present strength, and that the masked batteries to which you recently referred have been constructed in consequence of his apprehending an attack.

Very truly, yours,

T. J. JACKSON.


Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 12, Serial No. 18, Pages 888-889, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.


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