MOVEMENTS OF THE ARMIES. 115 Occoquan; the Sixth Corps from Dumfries to Fairfax Station; and the Cavalry Corps from Union Mills and Bristoe Station to Manassas Junction and Bull Run. General Longstreet, after leaving Culpeper CourtHouse, marched directly across the county east of the Blue Ridge. His object was to cover Ewell and Hill in the Shenandoah Valley. Stuart's cavalry, on this day, left its encampment on the south bank of the Rappahannock and moved along Longstreet's right flank. Longstreet hoped that Hooker might be tempted to turn about and attack either himself, or Hill and Ewell through one of the gaps of the mountain, in which case Stuart was to take advantage of any opportunity which might offer and interpose between the Federals and Washington. General Hooker, however, understood his antagonist's designs, and adhered to his main purpose to make the safety of the National Capital the paramount consideration. Accordingly, he directed the daily movements of his army so as to insure this object, until that army was posted about Centreville, Manassas, and Fairfax Court-House, entirely covering all the approaches to Washington. About this time while the whole North was in a state of commotion and excitement consequent upon the approach of the foe, the Confederate Capital was also thrown into a state of consternation by the approach of Federal troops from the Peninsula. General Dix, who commanded at Fortress Monroe, received orders from Washington to advance upon Richmond, which, it was believed, was weakly defended at that time. Troops were accordingly sent by water and landed at Yorktown. General Getty, in command of one column of about seven thousand men, moved as far as Hanover Junction to destroy the bridges over the North and South Anna. At the same time General Keys, with another column of about five thousand men, moved from the White House to secure Bottom's Bridge, on the Chickahominy, and thus leave a clear road for General Getty's column to advance on the city. The consternation in the Confederate Capital was so great that it was in contemplation at one time to recall Lee's forces. Troops were, however, hurriedly brought from the garrisons of South Carolina and other places, which, with the militia that was called out, were sufficient to defend the place. Wednesday, 17. The First Corps marched from Manassas Junction to Herndon Station; the Second Corps from Wolf Run Shoals to Sangster's Station; the Third Corps from Manassas Junction to Centreville; the Fifth Corps from Manassas Junction to Gum Springs; the Eleventh Corps from Centreville to Cow-Horn Ford, or Trappe Rock, on Goose Creek; and the Twelfth Corps from Fairfax Court-House to near Dranesville. The Cavalry Corps, on this day, left its encampment at Manassas Junction and Bull Run, and moved to Aldie, where, after a sanguinary contest with part of Stuart's force under General Fitz Hugh Lee, which had reached that place by a forced march to anticipate our troops in holding that gap, the enemy were put to flight, and that important pass was taken and held by the Union forces. Thursday, 18. The head-quarters of the Army of the Potomac were this day moved from Fairfax Station to Fairfax Court-House; the Sixth Corps moved from Fairfax Station to Germantown; and the Twelfth Corps from MOVEMENTS OF THE ARMIES. 117 near Dranesville to Leesburg. J. I. Gregg's cavalry brigade advanced from Aldie to Middleburg, and returned to a point midway between the two places. Sanguinary engagements occurred between the cavalry of the two armies, with continued success for the Union forces. General Lee with Longstreet's corps arrived this day at Berryville, where he remained several days, perfecting his preparations for the invasion of Maryland and Pennsylvania. Friday, 19. The First Corps marched from Herndon Station to Guilford Station; the Third Corps from Centreville to Gum Springs; and the Fifth Corps from Gum Springs to Aldie. The cavalry engagements of the two preceding days were renewed on this day and the enemy were again worsted. General Pleasanton succeeded in taking the two important passes of the mountain, Aldie and Thoroughfare gaps, through which the enemy must pass if he would cross the Potomac east of the mountain, or if he would obtain information of the movements of the Federal army. Pleasanton, therefore, asked for infantry supports in order to secure them against re-capture. Accordingly the Fifth Corps reached Aldie this day. Saturday, 20. The Second Corps, in accordance with General Pleasanton's request, moved from Sangster's Station to Centerville, and thence toward Thoroughfare Gap; the second division (Howe's) of the Sixth Corps advanced from Germantown to Bristoe Station. Sunday, 21. The Second Corps arrived at Thoroughfare Gap. It will thus be seen that these two important places -Aldie and Thoroughfare-were now strongly held by Federal infantry, the former by the Fifth Corps and the latter by the Second. Apprehending, however, that Stuart would throw his whole force upon Gregg's division at Upperville, Pleasanton went forward with his entire command supported by Barnes' (first) division of the Fifth Corps, to support it. After a series of brilliant engagements, Stuart was driven steadily back into Ashby's, where he took refuge behind a portion of Longstreet's corps, which had come to his support. This day Stahl's division of cavalry, from the defenses of Washington, moved out from Fairfax Court - House via Centerville and Gainesville to Buckland Mills. The situation now may be stated thus: General Hooker had the various corps of his army so placed that every approach to Washington, south of the Potomac, was effectually guarded. In addition to this he had Lee hopelessly enclosed in the Shenandoah Valley, unable either to pass to the cast of the mountain and cross the Potomac at the places intended, or to obtain information of the movements of the Federal army. General Pleasanton, in the Annals of the War, page 451, in summing up the results of the series of cavalry engagements of the four preceding days, resulting in the capture and holding of Aldie and Thoroughfare gaps, states them thus: "On the evening of the 16th of June, the Cavalry Corps encamped near Manassas, the Army of the Potomac occupying positions between that point and Fairfax Court-House. After consulting with General Hooker it was decided that I should proceed by the way of Aldie, through the Bull Run Mountains, into Loudon Valley, to ascertain if Lee's army, or any portion of it, were in that MOVEMENTS OF THE ARMIES. 119 vicinity. I started early on the 17th, made a long march of twenty-five miles, and about five o'clock in the afternoon, shortly after we had entered the pass, met the enemy's cavalry coming through. After a hard fight for several hours, we drove them back to the west side of the mountains. On the 18th and 19th we were again engaged, and forced them beyond Middleburg, about nine miles from Aldie, and on the 21st, advancing with Buford on the road to Union, and Gregg on the Upperville road, we swept the Loudon Valley to the base of the Blue Ridge, fighting our way the whole distance. Near Upperville the fighting was severe, several brigades, on each side, being engaged in charging each other; but such was the dash and spirit of our cavalry that the enemy could not withstand it, and retreated through Ashby's gap badly worsted. General Buford, on the right, sent some parties to the top of the Blue Ridge, and they reported large masses of infantry and camps in the Shenandoah Valley toward Winchester. There being no infantry in the Loudon Valley, it was evident General Lee did not intend to cross the Potomac lower down than Shepherdstown. These facts were reported to General Hooker on the night of the 21st of June, and he shortly after set the army in motion for the vicinity of Frederick City, Maryland, Buford's division of cavalry taking up a position at Middletown, to the west of Frederick City." General Doubleday, in his "Chancellorsville and Gettysburg," on pages 101 and 102, in stating these results, says: "It is very certain that the loss of the pass at Aldie was a serious blow to the Confederate cause. This, supplemented by Colonel Duffie's operations, gave Hooker pos |