. Stonewall Jackson and the American Civil War . ing to General Walker, Jackson, although hewas aware that McClellan had occupied Frederick, notover twenty miles distant, could not bring himself to believethat his old classmate had overcome his prudential in-stincts, and attributed the sounds of battle to a cavalryengagement. It is certain that he never for a singlemoment anticipated a resolute attempt to force the pas-sages of the South Mountain, for, in reply to McLaws, hemerely instructed him to ask General D. H. Hill to protecthis rear, and to communicate with Lee at Hagerstown. Hadhe ente
. Stonewall Jackson and the American Civil War . ing to General Walker, Jackson, although hewas aware that McClellan had occupied Frederick, notover twenty miles distant, could not bring himself to believethat his old classmate had overcome his prudential in-stincts, and attributed the sounds of battle to a cavalryengagement. It is certain that he never for a singlemoment anticipated a resolute attempt to force the pas-sages of the South Mountain, for, in reply to McLaws, hemerely instructed him to ask General D. H. Hill to protecthis rear, and to communicate with Lee at Hagerstown. Hadhe entertained the slightest suspicion that McClellan wasadvancing with his whole force against the passages of theSouth Mountain, he would hardly have suggested that Hillshould be asked to defend Cramptons as well as Turners Gap. With full confidence, therefore, that he would havetime to enforce the surrender of Harpers Ferry and tojoin Lee on the further bank of the Potomac, the progress of Report of Signal Officer, 0. R., vol xix., part i., p. VOL. n. THE ARTILLERY ATTACK 321 his attack was cautious and methodical. * The position infront of me, he wrote to McLaws, * is a strong one, and Idesire to remain quiet, and let you and Walker draw atten-tion from Furnace Hill (west of Bolivar Heights), so that Imay have an opportunity of getting possession of the hillwithout much loss. It was not, then, till the artillery hadbeen long in action, and the fire of the enemys guns hadbeen in some degree subdued, that the infantry was per-mitted to advance. Although the Federal batteries openedvigorously on the lines of skirmishers, the casualties wereexceedingly few. The troops found cover in woods andbroken ground, and before nightfall Hill had driven in theenemys pickets, and had secured a knoll on their left flankwhich afforded an admirable position for artillery. Lawton,in the centre, occupied a ridge over which ran the Charles-town turnpike, brought his guns into action, and formedhi
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