Washington believed that Jackson commanded an enormous army, and that
the National Capital was in danger of his invading host. The defeated
armies of Milroy, Banks, Fremont and Shields were all drawn in to defend
the city.
In this campaign of a few weeks Jackson had marched his infantry six
hundred miles, fought four pitched battles and seven minor engagements.
He had defeated four armies, each greater than his own, captured seven
pieces of artillery, ten thousand stands of arms, four thousand
prisoners and enormous stores of provisions and ammunition. It required
a train of wagons twelve miles long to transport his treasures--every
pound of which he saved for his Government.
He was never surprised, never defeated, never lost a train or an
organized piece of his army, put out of commission sixty thousand
Northern soldiers under four distinguished generals and in obedience to
Lee's command was now sweeping through the mountain passes to the relief
of Richmond.
While Jackson was thus moving to join his forces with Lee, Washington
was shivering in fear of his attack.
On the day Jackson was scheduled to fall on the flank of McClellan's
besieging army Lee moved his men to the assault. The first battle which
Johnston had joined at Seven Pines had only checked McClellan's advance.
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