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return to Washington, if necessary, or re-enforce McClellan in his attack on Richmond.
In order to watch this movement of McDowell's, General Joseph R. Anderson, with nine thousand men, had taken up a position between Fredericksburg and Richmond, with the object of holding McDowell in check as well as he could with such an inferior force, while General Johnston attacked McClellan's army.
Both commanders knew well that if these forty-one thousand men could be added to the Federal army, the capture of Richmond would follow.
McClellan at last succeeded in getting orders issued from Washington for McDowell to advance to his support.
General Johnston promptly decided, upon this information reaching him, to try at once the fortunes of battle; but was greatly relieved, when he received word from Stuart's cavalry that McDowell, after starting from Fredericksburg, had countermarched and was proceeding in the direction of Washington.
A Confederate commander in the Valley of Virginia was responsible for McDowell's change of direction.
Thomas Jonathan Jackson was born at Clarksburg, Harrison County, then in Virginia, now West Virginia. Thirty-seven years afterward he was born again on the field of Manassas, and, amid the rifle's flash and cannon's roar, christened “Stonewall.”
Neither of the two Governments lost sight of the great importance of the Valley District --one, because Washington could be easily reached by hostile troops from that section; the other, because the force there was a part of General Johnston's army, and might enter into future military combinations as an important factor.
It was most fortunate for the South that Stonewall Jackson was selected to command this department.
He was combative; his facial characteristics, “including a massive iron-bound jaw,” have been compared to those of Julius Caesar and William of Normandy.
Activity, vigilance, and restlessness were marked traits of his character.
His thoughts were with God and his cause.
In camp he organized prayer meetings among his soldiers, and when the meeting began, the hymn raised, and the proceedings evidently a success, he often went to sleep.
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