my wounded and see my sister, the same who had nursed me the previous
autumn. By a second marriage she was Mrs. Dandridge, and resided in the
town. Her husband, Mr. Dandridge, was on duty at Richmond. Depot of all
Federal forces in the Valley, Winchester was filled with stores.
Prisoners, guns, and wagons, in large numbers, had fallen into our
hands. Of especial value were ordnance and medical stores.

The following day my command was moved ten miles north on the pike
leading by Charlestown to Harper's Ferry, and after a day some miles
east toward the Shenandoah. This was in consequence of the operations of
the Federal General Shields, who, in command of a considerable force to
the east of the Blue Ridge, passed Manassas Gap and drove from Front
Royal a regiment of Georgians, left there by Jackson. Meanwhile, a part
of the army was pushed forward to Martinsburg and beyond, while another
part threatened and shelled Harper's Ferry. Jackson himself was engaged
in forwarding captured stores to Staunton.

On Saturday, May 31, I received orders to move through Winchester, clear
the town of stragglers, and continue to Strasburg. Few or no stragglers
were found in Winchester, whence the sick and wounded, except extreme
cases, had been taken. I stopped for a moment, at a house near the field
of the 25th, to see Colonel Nicholls. He had suffered amputation of the
arm that morning, and the surgeons forbade his removal; so that, much to
my regret and more to his own, he was left. We reached camp at Strasburg
after dark, a march of thirty odd miles, weather very warm. Winder, with
his brigade, came in later, after a longer march from the direction of
Harper's Ferry. Jackson sat some time at my camp fire that night, and
was more communicative than I remember him before or after. He said
Fremont, with a large force, was three miles west of our present camp,
and must be defeated in the morning. Shields was moving up Luray Valley,
and might cross Massanutten to Newmarket, or continue south until he
turned the mountain to fall on our trains near Harrisonburg. The
importance of preserving the immense trains, filled with captured
stores, was great, and would engage much of his personal attention;
while he relied on the army, under Ewell's direction, to deal promptly
with Fremont. This he told in a low, gentle voice, and with many
interruptions to afford time, as I thought and believe, for inward
prayer. The men said that his anxiety abou