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lay like a cuttle-fish, saving his ink but watching warily.
Meanwhile he rested his men, waiting for Longstreet.
This he could safely afford to do. From the memories of the ground, his ‘Stonewall’ veterans were receiving new fire.
Never had the certainty of victory been as high in them as now, once more on the field of their ‘brevet.’
Never, too, had the trust in the invincibility of Jackson been so deep in that larger army which was following with Lee and Longstreet.
Meanwhile Longstreet was marching to Thoroughfare gap, with him Colonel Walton in command of artillery, including the Washington artillery, Squires' First company, Richardson's Second, Miller's Third, and Eshleman's Fourth, and Maurin's Donaldsonville battery, as well as S. D. Lee's battalion, and other batteries.
Lee not in sight and Longstreet still outside the gap, Pope's chance for a battle seemed good.
For swallowing up Jackson he had more than troops enough.
With Mc-Dowell, Pope had planted himself squarely between Jackson and Thoroughfare gap.
McDowell was a trained soldier, and his movement was well sustained, but its effect was marred by an unlooked for blunder of his chief.
Strangely enough he seemed to have cooped up Jackson; certainly, Jackson seemed to be in a trap set by him, and watched over by McDowell.
Getting over-anxious for his right flank, however, Pope called off his watch dog—leaving only a small force under Ricketts at the key point.
Swiftest of commanders, Jackson was prompt in seeing his advantage.
From Sudley he outflanked the guard.
Ricketts back, he opened wide the gate to Longstreet just outside, and Lee near by. Pope should have known that Longstreet had passed through—he did not. Believing fatuously that Jackson alone was in his front, and borrowing his adversary's favorite tactics, he endeavored, by turning his left flank, to reoccupy Gainesville, so as to separate him from Lee. This was a weak effort to make good a fatal blunder.
Had Pope held Gainesville from the
Atlanta, Ga. 1899.
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