Jackson was in the Shenandoah
Valley holding three armies at bay, defeating them in detail and
paralyzing the efficiency of McDowell's forty thousand men at
Fredericksburg, by the daring uncertainty of his movements.
The first act of Lee was characteristic of his genius. Wishing to know
the exact position of McClellan's forces, and with the further purpose
of striking terror into his antagonist's mind for the safety of his
lines of communication, he conceived the daring feat of sending a picked
body of cavalry under the gallant J. E. B. Stuart completely around the
Northern army of one hundred and five thousand men.
On June the 12th, Stuart with twelve hundred troopers, fighting,
singing, dare-devil riders to a man, slipped from Lee's lines and
started toward Fredericksburg. The first night he bivouacked in the
solemn pines of Hanover. At the first streak of dawn the men swung into
their saddles in silence.
Turning suddenly to the east he surprised and captured the Federal
pickets without a shot. In five minutes he confronted a squadron of
Union cavalry. With piercing rebel yell his troopers charged and
scattered their foes.
Sweeping on with swift, untiring dash they struck the York River
Railroad, which supplied McClellan's army, surprised and captured the
company of infantry which guarded Tunstall's Station, cut the wires and
attacked a train passing with troops.
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