May 9, 1862 (Friday): Where's Jackson? At McDowell.

Hull House, Milroy's HQ, McDowell

NEW MARKET, May 9, 1862-4.30 p. m. 

Honorable E. M. STANTON,
Secretary of War:
    Your dispatch received. General Fremont's opinions as to the position of Jackson are correct. He has not been in front of General McDowell unless within two or three day past. Ewell's division has been at Elk Run, between Blue Ridge and Shenandoah, on the road from Harrisonburg to Stanardsville, until now. Our scouts report the camp-fires as seen yesterday. He has four brigades-12,700 men- and four batteries, of four guns. Jackson was at Port Republic, 6 miles above; Ewell on Shenandoah when my command left Harrisonburg. He is thought to have moved south toward Staunton or possibly toward Richmond. If General Fremont reports him with Edward Johnson against Milroy he is most likely correct. Such movement would accord with all our information up to this day. Johnson has about 3,000, Jackson 8,000 men, making with Ewell over 20,000 men. They are not more than 20 miles distant from each other unless Jackson has moved south recently. They will concentrate against any small force left in the valley. there are no troops at Gordonsville, Madison, or Culpeper unless arrived there recently. Ewell's division was the last that left Manassas, the Rappahannock, Culpeper, and Madison. I have reported these facts from day to day to the Department. Hundreds of fugitives come through these places into our lines because there are no troops there.

                                                     N. P. BANKS,

                                                    Major-General, Commanding.

(Copy to McDowell from War Department.)

Official Records, Series I., Vol. 12, Part 3, Page 154.

Jackson's troops (6,000 in number) headed west out of Staunton on May 7.  On the 8th McDowell and Johnson came up on Milroy at McDowell.  In the battle which followed, Milroy attacked Jackson's superior position on Sitlington's Hill.  Although he inflicted 420 casualties (compared to 259 for the Union forces), he was repulsed and yielded the field.  After the battle Milroy slowly withdrew west to Franklin, Jackson following for several days before returning to Stuanton.