Publisher's Synopsis
From the introductory.
The recall of McClellan's army from the Peninsula enabled Lee to leave Richmond, and direct his whole force against General Pope. The latter, with about 42,000 men, was occupying a very advanced position, the main part of his force being in the vicinity of Cedar Mountain, while detachments guarded the Fords of the Rapidan. He was confronted by Jackson with about 22,500 men. That enterprising commander had recently beaten Banks, in the battle of Cedar Mountain, and was eager to obtain reinforcements so that he might resume the offensive.
Before the retrograde movement of the Army of the Potomac actually began, Lee dispatched troops to the support of Jackson, and prepared to surprise Pope in his dangerous position. Pope learned of this intention, prudently retired behind the Rappahannock, and held the line of that river from Kell's Ford to the neighborhood of Freeman's Ford. On the 21st of August, 1862, Lee, with a total force of about 55,000 men, now fully released by the actual withdrawal of the Army of the Potomac, held the opposite side of the Rappahannock.
Being unable to surprise Pope, Lee determined to turn his right flank. On the 22d, Jackson, with his three divisions and Stuart's cavalry, marched up the right bank of the river, and sent a small part of his force across at Sulphur Springs. That evening, in the midst of a furious rain-storm, Stuart pushed on to Catlett's Station, fired into a train of cars, captured all of Pope's staff papers, attempted, without success, to destroy the railroad bridge, and finally effected a safe retreat. The rapid rise of the river in consequence of the rain, checked Jackson's further progress, and also prevented the return of the force which had already crossed. Pope had, from the first, divined the purpose of Jackson's movement, and prepared to meet it; but, unfortunately, he was so inconstant in his plans, that he adopted a course of action which led only to a useless result. His first intention was to let Jackson cross with all his force, and then attack him while separated from Longstreet. For this purpose the troops were rapidly marched in the required direction. Next, he decided to cross the river and attack Longstreet while separated from Jackson. Then the troops were as rapidly marched in the opposite direction. They had hardly reached the positions last designated, when they were all ordered back again in the first direction, with the hope of intercepting the small force of the enemy which was isolated by the flood. Thus for three days the Federal soldiers were harassed and wearied by hurried and continuous marches and countermarches, only to find that Jackson had quietly withdrawn the brigade which had been endangered, and was preparing to make a far more serious demonstration....
