ates, I have
assumed command of this army. I have come to you from the West where we
have always seen the backs of our enemies--from an army whose business
it has been to seek the adversary and to beat him when found, whose
policy has been attack not defense. Let us study the probable lines of
retreat of our opponents and leave ours to take care of themselves. Let
us look before us and not behind."

While his eyes were steadily fixed before him Jackson, moving with the
stealthy tread of a tiger, slipped in behind his advance guard, sprang
on it and tore his lines to pieces before he could move reenforcements
to their rescue.

When his reenforcements reached the ground Jackson had just finished
burying the dead, picking up the valuable arms left on the field and
sending his prisoners to the rear.

Before Pope could lead his fresh men to an attack the vanguard of Lee's
army was in sight and the general who had just issued his flaming
proclamation took to his heels and fled across the Rappahannock where he
called frantically for the divisions of McClellan's army which had not
yet joined him.

While Lee threatened Pope's front by repeated feints at different points
along the river, he dispatched Jackson's corps of twenty-five thousand
"foot cavalry" on a wide flanking movement through the Blue Ridge to
turn the Federal right, destroy his stores at Manassas Junction and
attack him in the rear before his reenforcements could arrive.

With swiftness Jackson executed the brilliant movement. Within
twenty-four hours his men had made the wide swing through the low
mountain ranges and crouched between Pope's army and the Federal
Capital. To a man of less courage and coolness this position would have
been one of tragic danger. Should Pope suddenly turn from Lee's
pretended attacks and spring on Jackson he might be crushed between two
columns. Franklin and Sumner's corps were at Alexandria to reenforce his
lines.

Jackson had marched into the jaws of death and yet he not only showed no
fear, he made a complete circuit of Pope's army, struck his storehouses
at Manassas Junction and captured them before the Federal Commander
dreamed that an army was in his rear. Eight pieces of artillery and
three hundred prisoners were among the spoils. Fifty thousand pounds of
bacon, a thousand barrels of beef, two thousand barrels of pork, two
thousand barrels of flour, and vast quantities of quartermaster's stores
also fell into his hands.