wide detour of twenty-odd miles to swing around Hooker's right and
strike him in the flank while he pretended an attack in force on his
front.

It was nearly sundown when Jackson's tired but eager men saw from the
hill top their unsuspecting foe quietly cooking their evening meal.

When the battle clouds lifted at the end of three days of carnage,
Hooker's army of one hundred and thirty thousand men had been cut to
pieces and flung back across the Rappahannock, leaving seventeen
thousand killed and wounded on the field.

In the face of his crushing defeat Hooker issued another address to his
army.

He boldly announced from his safe retreat beyond the banks of the river:

"The Major-General commanding tenders to the army his congratulations on
its achievements of the last seven days. If it has not accomplished all
that was expected the reasons are well known to the army. It is
sufficient to say, that they were of a character not to be foreseen or
prevented by human sagacity or resources.

"In withdrawing from the south bank of the Rappahannock before
delivering a general battle to our adversaries, the army has given
renewed evidence of its confidence in itself and its fidelity to the
principles it represents.

"Profoundly loyal and conscious of its strength, the Army of the Potomac
will give or decline battle whenever its interests or honor may command
it.

"By the celerity and secrecy of our movements, our advance and passage
of the river was undisputed, and on our withdrawal not a rebel dared to
follow us. The events of the last week may well cause the heart of every
officer and soldier of the army to swell with pride!"

The heart of the North quickly swelled with such pride that the
President was forced to remove General Hooker and appoint General George
Meade to his command.

While the South was celebrating the wonderful achievement of their now
invincible army, Lee's greatest general lay dying at a little farm house
a few miles from the scene of his immortal achievement. Jackson had been
accidentally wounded by a volley from his own men fired by his orders.

His wound was not supposed to be fatal and arrangements were made for
his removal to Richmond when he was suddenly stricken with pneumonia and
rapidly sank. He lifted his eyes to his physician and calmly said:

"If I live, it will be for the best--and if I die, it will be for the
best; God knows and directs all things for the best."

His last mom