There seems little reason to doubt that General Lee took this view of the subject, and relied on Hill and Longstreet to unite and repulse any attack upon them, while Ewell’s great “raiding column” drove forward into the heart of the enemy’s territory.  That the movement was bold, there can certainly be no question; that it was a reckless and hazardous operation, depending for its success, in Lee’s eyes, solely on the supposed inefficiency of General Hooker, does not appear.  These comments delay the narrative, but the subject is fruitful in suggestion.  It may be pardoned a Southern writer if he lingers over this last great offensive movement of the Southern army.  The last, it was also one of the greatest and most brilliant.  The war, therefore, was to enter upon its second stage, in which the South was to simply maintain the defensive.  But Lee was terminating the first stage of the contest by one of those great campaigns which project events and personages in bold relief from the broad canvas, and illumine the pages of history.

Events were now in rapid progress.  Ewell’s column—­the sharp head of the Southern spear—­reached Winchester on the 13th of June, and Rodes, who had been detached at Front Royal to drive the enemy from Berryville, reached the last-named village on the same day when the force there retreated to Winchester.  On the next morning Early’s division attacked the forces of Milroy at Winchester, stormed and captured their “Star Fort,” on a hill near the place, and so complete was the rout of the enemy that their commander, General Milroy, had scarcely time to escape, with a handful of his men, in the direction of the Potomac.

For this disaster the unfortunate officer was harshly criticised by General Hooker, who wrote to his Government, “In my opinion, Milroy’s men will fight better under a soldier.”

After thus clearing the country around Winchester, Ewell advanced rapidly on Martinsburg, where he took a number of prisoners and some artillery.  The captures in two days had been more than four thousand prisoners and twenty-nine cannon, with four hundred horses and a large amount of stores.  Ewell continued then to advance, and, entering Maryland, sent a portion of his cavalry, under General Imboden, westward, to destroy the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and another body, under General Jenkins, in advance, toward Chambersburg.  Meanwhile, the rest of the army was moving to join him.  Hill, finding that the enemy had disappeared from his front near Fredericksburg, hastened to march from that vicinity, and was sent forward by Lee, on the track of Ewell, passing in rear of Longstreet, who had remained in Culpepper.  The latter was now directed by Lee to move along the eastern side of the Blue Ridge, and, by occupying Ashby’s and Snicker’s Gaps, protect the flank of the column in the Valley from attack—­a work in which Stuart’s cavalry, thrown out toward the enemy, assisted.