movement on the part of the Confederates drove in Blenker’s Germans with the greatest ease.  “Sheep,” says General Taylor, “would have made as much resistance as we met.  Men decamped without firing, or threw down their arms and surrendered.  Our whole skirmish line was, advancing briskly.  I sought Ewell and reported.  We had a fine game before us, and the temptation to play it was great; but Jackson’s orders were imperative and wise.  He had his stores to save, Shields to guard against, Lee’s grand strategy to promote.  He could not waste time chasing Fremont."* (* Destruction and Reconstruction page 78.)

Winder reached Strasburg about noon.  The troops that had been facing Fremont were then withdrawn; and the whole force, now reunited, fell back on Woodstock; Ashby, with the cavalry, holding his old position on Tom’s Brook.  The retreat was made in full view of the Federal scouts.  On the Confederates retiring from before him, Fremont had pushed forward a reconnaissance, and Bayard’s cavalry brigade, of McDowell’s army, came up in the evening on the other flank.  But attack was useless.  The Confederate trains were disappearing in the distance, and heavy masses of all arms were moving slowly south.  The Federal horsemen were unsupported save by a single battery.  McDowell, who had reached Front Royal with part of his Second Division in the morning, had endeavoured to push Shields forward upon Strasburg.  But Shields, fearing attack, had dispersed his troops to guard the various roads; and when at last they were assembled, misled by erroneous information, he had directed them on Winchester.  Before the mistake was discovered the day had passed away.  It was not until the next morning that the Federal columns came into communication, and then Jackson was already south of Woodstock.

On Friday morning, May 29, says Allan, “Jackson was in front of Harper’s Ferry, fifty miles from Strasburg.  Fremont was at Fabius, twenty miles from Strasburg; and Shields was not more than twenty miles from Strasburg, for his advance entered Front Royal, which is but twelve miles distant, before mid-day, while McDowell was following with two divisions.  Yet by Sunday night Jackson had marched between fifty and sixty miles, though encumbered with prisoners and captured stores, had reached Strasburg before either of his adversaries, and had passed safely between their armies, while he held Fremont at bay by a show of force, and blinded and bewildered Shields by the rapidity of his movements.”

From the morning of May 19 to the night of June 1, a period of fourteen days, the Army of the Valley had marched one hundred and seventy miles, had routed a force of 12,500 men, had threatened the North with invasion, had drawn off McDowell from Fredericksburg, had seized the hospitals and supply depots at Front Royal, Winchester,* (* Quartermaster’s stores, to the value of 25,000 pounds, were captured at Winchester alone, and 9,354 small arms, besides two guns, were carried back to Staunton.) and Martinsburg, and finally, although surrounded on three sides by 60,000 men, had brought off a huge convoy without losing a single waggon.