June 22, 1862 (Sunday): Jackson Vanishes

General Thomas J. Jackson

WAR DEPARTMENT, June 22, 1862.

Major-General BANKS, Middletown:
    I am very glad you are looking well to the west for a movement of the enemy in that direction. You know my anxiety on that point. All was quiet at General McClellan's headquarters at 2 o'clock to-day.


A. LINCOLN.

Series I., Vol. 12, Part 3, Page 423.

BALTIMORE, MD., June 22, 1862.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,
Secretary of War:
    I have just returned from Harper's Ferry and Martinsburg. I cannot spare the Eighty-seventh Regiment, for the following reasons: We want all the spare regiments to guard the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. I have two and a half regiments at Harper's Ferry that can be relied upon, although two of them are three-months' men, but one of them is not instructed in the drill of the regiment. In order to guard that place I ought to have at least another regiment. I want a regiment to guard Martinsburg and a place called New Creek, both important points, where there is a large amount of public properly, especially at New Creek, where there is property valued at $1,500,000, intended for Fremont's troops. We ought to have at least two companies at the Point of Rocks and two at Monocacy, and certainly one company each at various other points on the road. For Harper's Ferry I intended the Eighty-seventh Regiment, and for Martinsburg and New Creek the Sixty-seventh.
    It is reported by persons considered reliable that Jackson will in a short time attack Banks and his forces. Banks reports his position to be at Middletown. General Sigel, whom I saw to-day at Harper's Ferry (he having met me there at my request), informed me that General Fremont was 5 miles from Banks' command. Sigel also stated that it was reported that Jackson had from 40,000 to 60,000 men and seventy pieces of artillery. This number I consider probably exaggerated.
    The forces under Banks and Fremont amount to about 18,000 effective men, exclusive of Shields' command, ordered by you to march. I saw at Martinsburg some twenty guns of small caliber, intended for Fremont. This battery I ordered forward at once, and it will probably reach General Fremont's camp some time to-morrow. I also saw several Parrott guns on the cars this afternoon, which left for Winchester.
    If Jackson has the number of troops reported, I think we ought to be looking after Washington. I profess not to be an alarmist, but I think we ought to be at least on our guard; and from the rumors of the day my convictions are strengthened, as heretofore expressed, that there should be a reserve corps of 50,000 men placed between here and Washington without delay.


JOHN E. WOOL,
Major-General.

Official Records, Series I., Vol. 12, Part 3, Page 425.

 At the time of these musings, Jackson's army was near Fredericks Hall (Mineral, Va) about 50 miles west of Richmond.  Jackson was preparing to travel to Richmond for a meeting with Lee and the army's other senior commanders.  Although many modern historians minimize the impact Jackson had on planners in Washington, it is clear they retained anxiety about the safety of Washington and the threat of Jackson's army as late as June 22.  Among the accomplishments of Jackson, one not amply appreciated is the extraordinary feat of disappearing with his army from the Valley without it being revealed to the Union armies anticipating his next moves.