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.
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