captains of the civil war-第35章

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　war；　andquite　as　importantan　exact　appreciation　of　the　risks　worth　running；　Lee　actually　divided　his　55；000　men　in　face　of　Pope's　80；000；　of　20；000　more　at　Washington　and　Aquia；　and　of　50；000　available　reinforcements。　Then；　by　the　well…deserved　results　obtained；　he　became　one　of　the　extremely　few　really　great　commanders　of　all　time。

The　〃bookish　theorick〃　who；　with　all　the　facts　before　him；　revels　in　the　fond　delights　of　retrospective　prophecy；　will　never　understand　how　Lee　succeeded　in　this　enterprise；　except　by　sheer　good　luck。　Only　those　who　themselves　have　groped　their　perilous　way　through　the　dense；　distorting　fog　of　war　can　understand　the　application　of　that　knowledge；　genius；　and　character　for　war　which　so　rarely　unite　in　one　man。

Lee　sent　Jackson　north；　to　march　at　utmost　speed　under　cover　of　the　Bull　Run　Mountains；　to　cross　them　at　Thoroughfare　Gap；　and　to　cut　Pope's　line　at　Manassas；　where　the　enormous　Federal　field　base　had　been　established。　Unknown　to　Pope；　Longstreet　then　slipped　into　Jackson's　place；　so　as　to　keep　Pope　in　play　till　the　raid　on　Manassas　and　threat　against　Washington　would　draw　him　northeast；　away　from　McClellan　at　Aquia。　The　final　move　of　this　profound；　though　very　daring；　plan　was　to　take　advantage　of　the　Federal　distractions　and　consequent　dispersions　so　as　to　effect　a　junction　on　the　field　of　battle　against　a　conquerable　force。

Jackson　moved　off　by　the　first　gray　streak　of　dawn　on　the　twenty…fifth；　and　that　day　made　good　the　six…and…twenty　miles　to　Salem　Church。　Screened　by　Stuart's　cavalry；　and　marching　through　a　country　of　devoted　friends　on　such　an　errand　as　a　commonplace　general　would　never　suspect；　Jackson　stole　this　march　on　Pope　in　perfect　safety。　The　next　day's　march　was　far　more　dangerous。　Roused　while　the　stars　were　shining　the　men　moved　off　in　even　greater　wonder　as　to　their　destination。　But　when　the　first　flush　of　dawn　revealed　the　Bull　Run　Mountains；　with　the　wellknown　Thoroughfare　Gap　straight　to　their　front；　they　at　once　divined　their　part　of　Lee's　stupendous　plan：　a　giant　raid　on　Manassas；　the　Federal　base　of　superabundant　supplies。　The　news　ran　down　the　miles　of　men；　and　with　it　the　thrill　that　presaged　victory。　Mile　after　mile　was　gained；　almost　in　dead　silence；　except　for　the　clank　of　harness；　the　rumble　of　wheels；　the　running　beat　of　hoofs；　and　that　long；　low；　ceaselessly　rippling　sound　of　multitudinous　men's　feet。　Hungry；　ill…clad；　and　worn　to　their　last　spare　ounce；　the　gaunt　gray　ranks　strained　forward；　slipped　from　their　leash　at　last　and　almost　in　sight　of　their　prey。　So　far　they　were　undiscovered。　But　the　Gap　was　only　ten　miles　by　airline　from　Pope's　extreme　right；　and　the　tell…tale　cloud　of　dust；　floating　down　the　mountain　side　above　them；　must　soon　be　sighted；　signaled；　noted；　and　attended　to。　Only　speed；　the　speed　of　〃foot…cavalry；〃　could　now　prevail；　and　not　a　man　must　be　an　inch　behind。　CLOSE　UP；　MEN；　CLOSE　UP！CLOSE　UP　THERE　IN　REAR！CLOSE　UP！　CLOSE　UP！

By　noon　the　head　of　the　column　had　already　crossed　those　same　communications　which　Pope　had　told　his　army　to　disregard　in　favor　of　the　much　more　interesting　enemy　line　of　retreat。　Little　did　he　think　that　the　man　he　had　come　to　chase　was　about　to　burn　the　bridge　at　Bristoe　Station　and　thus　cut　the　line　between　the　Federal　front　at　Warrenton　and　the　Federal　base　at　Manassas。　All　went　well　with　Jackson；　except　that　some　news　escaped　to　Washington　and　Warrenton　sooner　than　he　expected。　A　Federal　train　dashed　on　to　Washington　before　the　rails　could　be　torn　up。　The　next　two　trains　were　both　derailed　and　wrecked。　But　the　fourth　put　all　brakes　down　and　speeded　back　to　Warrenton。　Jackson　quickly　took　up　a　very　strong　position　on　the　north　side　of　Broad　Run；　behind　the　burnt　railway　bridge；　and　sent　Stuart's　troopers　with　two　battalions　of　〃foot…cavalry〃　to　raid　the　base　at　Manassas；　replenish　the　exhausted　Confederate　supplies；　and　do　the　northward　scouting。

The　situation　of　the　rival　armies　on　the　night　of　the　twentyseventh　forms　one　of　the　curiosities　of　war。　Jackson　was　concentrating　round　Manassas　Junction。　Lee　was　following　Jackson's　line　of　march；　but　was　still　beyond　Thoroughfare　Gap。　Between　them　stood　part　of　Pope's　army；　the　whole　of　which　occupied　an　irregular　quadrilateral　formed　by　lines　joining　the　following　points：　Warrenton　Junction；　Bristoe　Station；　Gainesville；　and　Thoroughfare　Gap。　Thirty　miles　northeast　were　the　twenty　thousand　Federals　who　joined　Pope　too　late。　Thirty　miles　southeast　the　rear　of　McClellan's　forces　were　still　massing　at　Aquia。　In　Pope's　opinion　Jackson　was　clearly　trapped　and　Lee　cut　off。

But　when　Pope　began　to　close　his　cumbrous　net　the　following　day　Jackson　had　disappeared　again。　Orders　and　counter…orders　thereupon　succeeded　each　other　in　bewildering　confusion。　McClellan　could　be　left　out：　and　a　very　good　thing　too；　thought　Pope；　who　wanted　the　victory　all　to　himself；　and　whose　own　army　greatly　outnumbered　Lee's　and　Jackson's　put　together。　But　Washington　was　nervous　again；　it　contained　the　reinforcements；　and　it　had　suddenly　become　indispensable　to　Pope　as　an　immediate　base　of　supplies　now　that　the　base　at　Manassas　had　been　so　completely　destroyed。　Pope's　troops　therefore　mostly　drew　east　during　the　twentyeighth；　forming　by　nightfall　a　long　irregular　line；　facing　west；　with　its　right　beyond　Centreville　and　its　extreme　left　held　by　Banks's　mauled　divisions　south　of　Catlett's　Station。　Meanwhile　Jackson　had　slipped　into　place　in　the　curve　of　Bull　Run；　facing　southeast；　with　his　left　near　Stone　Bridge；　his　back　to　Sudley　Springs；　and　his　right　open　to　junction　with　Lee；　who　was　waiting　for　daylight　to　force　the　Gap　against　the　single　division　left　there　on　guard。

During　the　afternoon；　while　Jackson's　tired　men　were　lying　sound　asleep　in　their　ranks；　Jackson　himself　was　roused　to　see　captured　orders　which　showed　that　some　Federals　were　crossing　his　front。　Reading　these　orders　to　his　divisional　commanders　he　immediately　ordered　one　to　attack　and　another　to　support。　If　the　Federals　concerned　were　exposing　an　unguarded　flank　they　should　be　attacked　at　a　disadvantage。　If　they　were　screening　larger　forces　trying　to　join　the　reinforcements　from　Washington　or　Aquia；　then　they　should　be　attacked　so　as　to　distract　Pope's　attention　and　draw　him　on　before　the　Federal　union　became　complete；　though　not　before　Lee　had　reached　the　new　Bull　Run　position　the　following　day。　The　attack　was　consequently　made　from　the　woods　around　Groveton　not　too　long　before　dark。　It　resulted　in　a　desperate　frontal　fight；　neither　side　knowing　what　the　other　had　in　its　rear　or　on　its　flanks。　Again　the　Federals　were　outnumbered：　twenty…eight　against　forty…five　hundred　men　in　action。　But　again　they　fought　with　the　utmost　resolution　and　drew　off　in　good　order。　The　strategic　advantage；　however；　was　wholly　Confederate；　for　Pope；　who　thought　Jackson　must　now　be　falling　back　to　the　Gap；　at　once　began　confusedly　trying　to　concentrate　for　pursuit　on　the　twenty…ninththe　very　thing　that　suited　Lee　and　Jackson　best。

Early　that　morning　the　two…days'　Battle　of　Second　Manassas　（or　Second　Bull　Run）　began　with　Pope's　absurd　attempt　to　pursue　an　army　drawn　up　in　line　of　battle。　Moreover；　Jackson's　position　was　not　only　strong　in　itself　but　well　adapted　for　giving　attackers　a　shattering　surprise。　The　left　rested　on　Bull　Run　at　Sudley　Ford。　The　center　occupied　the　edge　of　the　flat…topped　Stony　Ridge。　A　quarter…mile　in　front　of　it；　and　some　way　lower　down；　were　the　embankments　and　cuttings　of　an　unfinished　railroad。　On　the　right　was　Stuart's　Hill；　where　Lee　was　to　join　by　sending　Longstreet　in。　The　approaches　in　rear　were　hidden　from　the　eyes　of　an　enemy　in　front。　The　cuttings　and　embankments　made　excellent　field　works　for　the　defense。　And　the　forward　edge　of　the　Ridge　was　wooded　enough　to　let　counter…attackers　mass　under　cover　and　then　run　down　to　surprise　the　attackers　by　manning　the　cuttings　and　embankments。

Sigel's　Germans；　supported　by　the　splendid　Pennsylvanians　under　Reynolds；　advanced　from　the　Henry　Hill　to　hold　Jackson　till　Pope　could　come　up　and　finish　him。　The　numbers　were　about　even；　with　slight　odds　in　favor　of　Jackson。　But　the　shock　was　delivered　piecemeal。　Each　part　was　roughly　handled　and　driven　back　in　disorder。