g his soldiers into Ironsides: that
they were Presbyterian to a man, and believed that God Almighty had
planned this campaign and sent Jackson to execute it; that he--the
deserter--being of cavalier descent, couldn't stand it and "got out."
There was an affair of outposts, in which several prisoners were taken.
These acknowledged that a very large force of cavalry occupied
Harrisonburg, and that Jackson was close behind, having rebuilt the
bridge at Fort Republic across the Shenandoah, and advanced by the
Keezletown road. An old negro shambled one morning into the lines.
"Yaas, sah, dat's de truf! I ain' moughty unlike ol' Brer Eel. I
cert'ny slipped t'roo dat 'cordion Gineral Jackson am er stretchin'! How
many on de oder side, sah? 'Bout er half er million." Fremont
telegraphed and wrote to Washington. "The condition of affairs here
imperatively requires that some position be immediately made strong
enough to be maintained. Reinforcements should be sent here without an
hour's delay. Whether from Richmond or elsewhere, forces of the enemy
are certainly coming into this region. Casualties have reduced my force.
The small corps scattered about the country are exposed to sudden attack
by greatly superior force of an enemy to whom intimate knowledge of
country and universal friendship of inhabitants give the advantage of
rapidity and secrecy of movements. I respectfully submit this
representation to the President, taking it for granted that it is the
duty of his generals to offer for his consideration such impressions as
are made by knowledge gained in operations on the ground."

South of the impenetrable grey curtain stretched across the Valley began
a curious series of moves. A number of Federal prisoners on their way
from Port Republic to Richmond, saw pass them three veteran brigades.
The guards were good-naturedly communicative. "Who are those? Those are
Whiting and Hood and Lawton on their way to reinforce Stonewall. If we
didn't have to leave this railroad you might see Longstreet's
Division--it's just behind. How can Lee spare it?--Oh, Beauregard's up
from the South to take its place!" The prisoners arrived in Richmond. To
their surprise and gratification the officers found themselves paroled,
and that at once. They had a glimpse of an imposing review; they passed,
under escort, lines of entrenchments, batteries, and troops; their
passage northward to McDowell's lines at Fredericksburg was facilitated.
In a remarkab