through at Front Royal again.  He is already on the right side of the Shenandoah to do it, and on the wrong side of it to attack you.  The orders already sent you and Banks place you and him in the proper positions for the work assigned you.  Jackson cannot move his whole force on either of you before the other can learn of it and go to his assistance.  He cannot divide his force, sending part against each of you, because he will be too weak for either.  Please do as I directed in the order of the 8th and my despatch of yesterday, the 12th, and neither you nor Banks will be overwhelmed by Jackson.  By proper scout lookouts, and beacons of smoke by day and fires by night you can always have timely notice of the enemy’s approach.  I know not as to you, but by some this has been too much neglected.

A. Lincoln.

TO GENERAL J. C. FREMONT

War department, Washington city, D. C., June 15, 1862.

Major-general Fremont: 

My dear sir:—­Your letter of the 12th by Colonel Zagonyi is just received.  In answer to the principal part of it, I repeat the substance of an order of the 8th and one or two telegraphic despatches sent you since.

We have no definite power of sending reinforcements; so that we are compelled rather to consider the proper disposal of the forces we have than of those we could wish to have.  We may be able to send you some dribs by degrees, but I do not believe we can do more.  As you alone beat Jackson last Sunday, I argue that you are stronger than he is to-day, unless he has been reinforced; and that he cannot have been materially reinforced, because such reinforcement could only have come from Richmond, and he is much more likely to go to Richmond than Richmond is to come to him.  Neither is very likely.  I think Jackson’s game—­his assigned work—­now is to magnify the accounts of his numbers and reports of his movements, and thus by constant alarms keep three or four times as many of our troops away from Richmond as his own force amounts to.  Thus he helps his friends at Richmond three or four times as much as if he were there.  Our game is not to allow this.  Accordingly, by the order of the 8th, I directed you to halt at Harrisonburg, rest your force, and get it well in hand, the objects being to guard against Jackson’s returning by the same route to the upper Potomac over which you have just driven him out, and at the same time give some protection against a raid into West Virginia.