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Charlestown a strong force, gradually and securely advancing a portion of them toward
Winchester, and with a column from that point, operate toward
Woodstock, thus cutting off all the communication of the insurgents with
Northwestern Virginia, and force them to retire and leave that region in the possession of the loyal people.
By that means he expected to keep open a free communication with the great
West, by the Baltimore and Ohio Railway.
The
General-in-chief disapproved the plan; repeated the order to send to
Washington the designated troops; told
Patterson that
McClellan had been ordered to send nothing across the mountains to support him, and directed him to remain where he was until he could satisfy his Chief that he ought to go forward.
This was followed by another, saying: “You tell me you arrived last night at
Hagerstown, and
McClellan writes that you are checked at
Harper's Ferry.
Where are you?”
Early the next morning
the
Chief telegraphed again, saying:--“We are pressed here.
Send the troops I have twice called for, without delay.”
This order was imperative, and was instantly obeyed.
The troops were sent, and
Patterson was left without a single piece of available artillery, with only one troop of raw cavalry, and a total force of not more than ten thousand men, the most of them undisciplined.
A larger portion of them were on the
Virginia side of the
Potomac, exposed to much peril.
Cadwalader had marched down toward
Harper's Ferry as far as
Falling Waters, to cover the fords; and
Johnston, with full fifteen thousand well-drilled troops, including a considerable force of cavalry and twenty cannon, was lying only a few miles off.
1 Patterson had only the alternative of exposing the greater part of his army to destruction, or to recall them.
He chose the latter, mortifying as it was, and they re-crossed the river at
Williamsport, with the loss of only one man.
Patterson was severely censured by the public, who did not know the circumstances, for not pushing on against the insurgents; but the welfare of the cause compelled him to keep silence and bear the blame.
2
At that time there was an indescribable state of feverish anxiety in
Washington City.
It was shared by the
Government and the
General-in-chief.
Exaggerated accounts of immense forces of insurgents at
Manassas were continually reaching the
Capital.
It was known that
General Beauregard, whose success at
Charleston had made him famous, had been placed in command of the troops at
Manassas at the beginning of June; and there was a general