strategic points captured, and Washington evacuated-the Fed eral authorities, he believed, would abandon their opposition to secession and agree to an honorable peace.

It was proposed to the Confederate authorities at Richmond, but was not adopted.. Nothing ever came of it, and the South entered upon a military policy which contemplated a long defensive war, in which the Federal Government would find its resources exhausted, or the patience of the people worn out. Whether this was an altogether prudent course, let the subsequent events of the struggle declare. It never had the approval of Jackson. He believed then, and continued to believe, as will be seen throughout his career, that "the Scipio Africanus policy was the best." Invasion of the North was his possessing thought, and became the dream of his life. He never ceased to think of it, and the great successes at Port Republic, Cold Harbor, and the second Manassas, were chiefly important in his eyes from their bearing upon his favorite policy.

To the question what would have been the result of the adoption of this plan in the autumn of 1861, there will probably be many answers; but we pass from what Jackson suggested to what he effected.

CHAPTER IV.

THE WINTER MARCH TO ROMNEY.

JACKSON proceeded to Winchester, and assuming command of the valley district, applied himself energetically to the task of organizing and drilling the raw levies from the surrounding country. General Loring with his command arrived in December; and Jackson had succeeded, to his great joy, in regaining his old brigade, which returned to him and went into camp near the afterwards famous locality of Kernstown, in the latter days. of November.

The troops thus placed at his disposal were about 10,000 in

number. With this force he hoped to afford complete protection to the country, and he applied himself with great activity to the work of putting the troops in proper order for the spring campaign. They did not remain, in the meanwhile, entirely idle. On the 17th of December a portion of the Stonewall Brigade proceeded to the Potomac, and driving away a body of Federal troops posted there, destroyed dam No. 5 on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. Washington and Alexandria were largely supplied with coal and other heavy produce from the interior by means of this canal, and the inconvenience thus occasioned was probably considerable. Soon afterwards preparations were made for a vigorous movement against the Federal forces at Romney, Bath, and other points, which it was desirable to drive beyond the Potomac.

Jackson at this time expressed succinctly and forcibly to one of his officers, his opinion in reference to the fire delivered by troops. The conversation had turned upon the relative advantage of firing by file, and by company or battalion, and Jackson said: "I rather think the fire by file is best on the whole, for it gives the enemy an idea that the fire is heavier than if it was

by company or battalion. Sometimes, however, one may be

best-sometimes the other-according to circumstances. But my opinion is that there ought not to be much firing at all. My idea is that the best mode of fighting is to reserve your fire till the enemy get-or you get them-to close quarters. Then deliver one deadly, deliberate fire-and charge!"

His preparations were not complete until the last days of December. All was ready at last, however, and on the first day of January, 1862, he set out on the road to Romney, with about 9,000 men, in the midst of many speculations as to his intentions. 66 Conjecture was rife as to our destination," says an officer, "but Jackson kept his own secrets so well as to deceive both the enemy and ourselves." In spite of the winter season the day was exceedingly bright and beautiful; the air soft and balmy; and Jackson afterwards said to a gentleman from Jefferson, "Sir, the dust was flying in the roads!" So

mild was the temperature that the men left behind them their overcoats and blankets, to be brought on in the wagons. A short distance from Winchester Jackson wheeled to the right, and now marched in the direction of Bath. On the next day the weather changed and grew intensely cold. The men marched all day, and at night the wagons which had been unable to keep up with the troops, had not arrived. The army in consequence was compelled to go into bivouac without rations or covering of any description-depending upon camp fires for protection against the cold. On the third day Jackson continued to press forward, in spite of the sufferings of the troops, who, taken from comfortable winter quarters, and unaccustomed to hunger, cold, and fatigue, found it almost impossible to proceed. Jackson became restive. Riding along the column, he found his old brigade halted on the side of the road, and asked General Garnett, who had succeeded him in the command, the reason for this delay.

"I have halted to let the men cook rations, General," was the reply of Garnett.

"There is no time for that," responded Jackson briefly. "But it is impossible for the men to march further without them."

"I never found any thing impossible with that brigade!" returned Jackson in his curtest tones, and he rode on. His plans did not admit of delay. He intended to surprise and drive the enemy before him; and in comparison with the success of the campaign, which depended upon the celerity of his march, he rightly estimated the sufferings of the men as a secondary matter. Such is the fatal logic of war-the necessity of military affairs.

Jackson now drew near Bath, and suddenly found his advance guard attacked. The Federal forces were posted behind fences and other cover, and poured a sudden fire into the vanguard, consisting of a portion of the 48th Virginia, Colonel Campbell. Two companies of the 21st Virginia, under Colonel Patton, were thrown forward to their support, and an animated skirmish ensued. The enemy held their ground for about half

an hour, when reënforcements coming to the relief of the advance guard, the Federal forces were driven off with the loss of about twenty prisoners. This engagement took place within a few miles of Bath, and to that place the enemy retired on their main body. The Southern troops encamped just outside of the town, and as night descended a freezing snow-storm, accompanied with hail, swept down from the mountains, and beat directly in their faces. The wagons had again failed to arrive-the men were without any thing to eat, or blankets to cover them, and their situation was distressing. They were even without axes, and the officers were compelled to overlook the destruction of the fences for firewood. "Strike for the rails, boys," was the order of an officer of the advance guard, and around the cheerful blaze the men sank down in the snow which continued to fall, and worn out with fatigue slept profoundly.

"I built a fire," says a young soldier whose notes of the march are before us, "and went to sleep by it, but waked up about twelve o'clock at night and found the fire out, and about three inches of snow over me." He like the rest had left his blankets in the wagons, and this snowy winding sheet covered, that night, the whole slumbering army.

On the next morning the mountains and valleys were covered with snow, which still continued to fall without cessation. Jackson did not modify his plans, however, in consequence of this unexpected and most unfortunate change in the weather-so bright and beautiful when he left Winchester. Bath was in front of him, still occupied by the enemy; and as soon as the troops had snatched a hasty meal, the order was given for an advance upon the town. The Federal forces made but a brief resistance. The Southern artillery was placed in position and opened fire, when the infantry charged the enemy's breast works, and they fell back hastily in the direction of the Potomac. Jackson had sent a force round in rear of the town to cut off their retreat, but their movements were too rapid. Before the troops could reach the point designated, the Federal forces had passed it and effected their retreat. They were pursued by Ashby's

cavalry, which came upon a considerable force of infantry in ambush, and the cavalry having fallen back, the Confederate artillery was brought forward and fire opened. At nightfall the enemy fell back from their position and retreated across the Potomac, wading the freezing stream in one of the coldest nights that had ever been known in that region. The Federal quarters in the town of Bath fell into the hands of the troops, and a number of stores were captured. In their abrupt retreat the Federal officers had left behind them rich uniforms, fine services of china, and all the luxurious appendages of winter quarters. These were taken possession of by the troops, who devoured with humorous satisfaction the excellent dinners of some Federal officers, which were found smoking on the board.

At nightfall the artillery fire ceased and the troops fell back, two regiments, however, remaining on picket. As these were forbidden to make fires, the bitter cold of the January night caused them intense suffering. The soles of the men's shoes, in many instances, froze tightly to the ground, and the sufferings. of all were indescribable. On the morning of the 5th of January Jackson formed line of battle opposite Hancock, which was held by a Federal force under General Lander; and bringing up his batteries, placed them in position to open fire. He then sent Ashby with a flag of truce to demand the surrender of the place. This was refused by General Lander, when Jackson sent back word that he was about to shell the place-giving the authorities of the town two hours to remove the women and children. At the expiration of that time he opened with his batteries on the town, and the Federal batteries returned the fire. The cannonade continued rapidly for about an hour without result―Jackson directing his fire only at that portion of the town which was occupied by the troops-and then it ceased on both sides for the day.

On the next day the cannonade was resumed, and getting our range, the Federal batteries poured a heavy fire upon the troops, with little injury, however. They had been reënforced during the night, and Jackson saw that the place could not be