[18] The first detachment of Federals embarked at Alexandria on March 16, and the army was thereafter transferred to the Peninsula by successive divisions. On March 25 Johnston was ordered to be ready to move to Richmond. On April 4 he was ordered to move at once. On that date 50,000 Federals had landed.
[19] O.R., vol. xii, part iii, p. 859.
[20] O.R., vol. xii, part iii, pp. 849, 854, 857.
[21] O.R., vol. xii, part iii, pp. 863–4.
[22] Jackson himself showed the same wise self-restraint. In his communications with Ewell, after that officer had been placed under his orders, but before they had joined hands, he suggested certain movements as advisable, but invariably left the ultimate decision to his subordinate’s judgment.
[23] On April 30 Banks and Shields, who had been reinforced, numbered 20,000 effective officers and men, of whom a portion must have been guarding the communications. Reports of April 30 and May 31. O.R., vol. xii, part iii.
[24] It is amusing to note how far, at this time, his staff officers were from understanding their commander. On this very date one of them wrote in a private letter: “As sure as you and I live, Jackson is a cracked man, and the sequel will show it.” A month later he must have been sorry he had posed as a prophet.
[25] Jackson, 6,000; Ewell, 8,000; E. Johnson, 2,800.
[26] O.R., vol. xi, part 3, p. 477.
[27] Dabney, vol. ii, p. 65.