rville and Paris. When we reached the mountain at Paris we moved
along its foot, traveling mostly by night and resting by day, hiding
ourselves in the heavy timber that stretched along the slopes of the
mountain. We had no trouble procuring food from the little farm houses
that we passed. Occasionally we employed a guide, whom we paid. These
guides took great pains to magnify the danger that surrounded us, and
told us of the narrow escapes of other caravans that had preceded us.
This was done in order to draw as large a fee from us as possible. The
distance to Harrisonburg was about 100 miles. We finally reached our
destination.

During the winter and early spring the North had raised a very large
army, splendidly equipped, and placed under the command of Gen. George
B. McClellan. This army was taken mostly by boat to a point on the James
river, from which point it took up a line of march toward Richmond.
McClellan's army was the largest and best equipped that had ever trod
American soil.

McClellan was the idol of the North, and there was very little doubt in
the minds of the Northern people that when he met the Confederate forces
defending Richmond the Capital of the Confederacy would be captured,
and the army defending it destroyed or captured.

The Confederate forces gradually fell back before McClellan's army as it
advanced along the James river, until the invaders could see the spires
of the Confederate Capitol.

Of course, this move of McClellan's having made Johnston's position at
Centerville untenable, he withdrew his army and marched to Richmond, so
as to confront McClellan on his arrival.

The day finally arrived when McClellan was to make the attack that was
to result in the overthrow of the Confederacy.

While this was going on, Gen. Joseph E. Johnston (who commanded the
Confederate forces) was busy strengthening his position and preparing
his army for the coming struggle.

Jackson had in the meantime distinguished himself in the valley by
routing three armies, each larger than his own, that had been sent out
to capture him. Having defeated these armies, he fell back beyond
Harrisonburg, and then quietly slipped out of the valley, crossed the
Blue Ridge mountains, and made a rapid march toward Richmond.

Instead of uniting his forces with those of Johnston, he moved his army
to a point toward McClellan's rear, and at once began an attack which,
combined with Johnston's attack in the front, resulted