September 10.

Lee had resolved to woo fortune while she was in the mood.  The movement against Harper’s Ferry once determined, it was essential that it should be carried out with the utmost speed, and Jackson marched with even more than ordinary haste, but without omitting his usual precautions.  Before starting he asked for a map of the Pennsylvania frontier, and made many inquiries as to roads and localities to the north of Frederick, whereas his route lay in the opposite direction.  “The cavalry, which preceded the column,” says Colonel Douglas, “had instructions to let no civilian go to the front, and we entered each village we passed before the inhabitants knew of our coming.  In Middletown two very pretty girls, with ribbons of red, white, and blue floating from their hair, and small Union flags in their hands, rushed out of a house as we passed, came to the kerbstone, and with much laughter waved their flags defiantly in the face of the general.  He bowed, raised his hat, and turning with his quiet smile to the staff, said, ’We evidently have no friends in this town.’”

September 11.

“Having crossed South Mountain at Turner’s Gap, the command encamped for the night within a mile of Boonsboro’ (fourteen miles from Frederick).  Here General Jackson must determine whether he would go to Williamsport or turn towards Shepherdstown.  I at once rode into the village with a cavalryman to make some inquiries, but we ran into a Federal squadron, who without ceremony proceeded to make war upon us.  We retraced our steps, and although we did not stand upon the order of our going, a squad of them escorted us out of the town with great rapidity.  Reaching the top of the hill, we discovered, just over it, General Jackson, walking slowly towards us, leading his horse.  There was but one thing to do.  Fortunately the chase had become less vigorous, and with a cry of command to unseen troops, we turned and charged the enemy.  They, suspecting trouble, turned and fled, while the general quickly galloped to the rear.  As I returned to camp I picked up the gloves which he had dropped in mounting, and took them to him.  Although he had sent a regiment of infantry to the front as soon as he went back, the only allusion he made to the incident was to express the opinion that I had a very fast horse.

The next morning, having learned that the Federal troops still occupied Martinsburg, General Jackson took the direct road to Williamsport.  He then forded the Potomac, the troops singing, the bands playing “Carry me back to ole Virginny!” We marched on Martinsburg.

September 12.

General A.P.  Hill took the direct turnpike, while Jackson, with the rest of his command, followed a side road, so as to approach Martinsburg from the west, and encamped four miles from the town.  His object was to drive General White, who occupied Martinsburg, towards Harper’s Ferry, and thus “corral” all the Federal troops in that military pen.  As the Comte de Paris puts it, he “organised a grand hunting match through the lower Valley, driving all the Federal detachments before him and forcing them to crowd into the blind alley of Harper’s Ferry.”