ashingtonno bad news to leak out； and nothing but misleading items did leak out。 The Army of the Valley moved within a charmed circle of cavalry which prevented any one from going forward； ahead of the advance； and swept before it all stragglers through whom the news might leak out by the rear。 On the twenty…third of June； only eight days after Stuart had reported his raid to Lee； Jackson attended Lee's conference at the same place； Richmond。 The Valley Army was then on its thirty…mile march from Frederick's Hall to Ashland； where it arrived on the twenty…fifth； fifteen miles north。
McClellan had over a hundred thousand men。 Lee had less than ninety thousand； even after Jackson had joined him。 To attack McClellan's strongly fortified front； with its almost impregnable flanks； would have been suicide。 But McClellan's farther right； commanded by that excellent officer； FitzJohn Porter； lay north of the Chickahominy； with its own right open for junction with McDowell。 So Lee； knowing McClellan and the state of this Federal right； decided on the twenty…fourth to attack Porter and threaten McClellan's communications not only with McDowell to the north but with White House； the Federal base twenty miles northeast。 This was an exceedingly bold move； first； because McClellan had plenty of men to take Richmond during Lee's march north；
secondly； because it meant the convergence of separate forces on the field of battle （Jackson being at Ashland； fifteen miles from Richmond） and； thirdly； because the Confederates were inferior in armament and in supplies of all kinds as well as in actual numbers。 Magruder； who had held the Yorktown lines so cleverly with such inferior forces； was to hold Richmond （on both sides of the James） with thirty…five thousand men against McClellan's seventy…five thousand； while Lee and Jackson converged on Porter's twenty…five thousand with over fifty thousand。
Then followed the famous Seven Days； beginning on the twenty…sixth of June near the signpost at the Mechanicsville bridgeTO RICHMOND 4 1/2 MILESand ending at Harrison's Landing on the second of July。 On the twenty…sixth the attack was made with consummate strategic skill。 But it was marred by bad staff work； by the great obstructions in Jackson's path； and by A。P。 Hill's premature attack with ten thousand men against Porter's admirable front at Beaver Dam Creek。 Hill's men moved down their own side of the little valley in dense masses till every gun and rifle on Porter's side was suddenly unmasked。 No scythe could have mowed the leading Confederates better。 Two thousand went down in the first few minutes； and the rest at once retreated。
Porter fell back on Gaines's Mill； where； after being reinforced； he took up a strong position on the twentyseventh。 Again there was failure in combining the attack。 Jackson found obstructions that even he could not overcome quickly enough。 Hill attacked again with the utmost gallantry； wave after wave of Confederates rushing forward only to melt away before the concentrated fire of Porter's reinforced command。
But at last the Confederatesthough checked and roughly handledconverged under Lee's own eye； and an inferno of shot and shell loosened and shook the steadfast Federal defense。 Lee and Jackson； though far apart； gave the word for the final charge at almost the same moment。 As Jackson's army suddenly burst into view and swept forward to the assault the joyful news was shouted down the ranks： 〃The Valley men are here！〃 Thereupon Lee's men took up the double…quick with 〃Stonewall Jackson！ Jackson！ Jackson！〃 as their battle cry。 The Federals fought right valiantly till their key…point suddenly gave way； smashed in by weight of numbers； for Lee had brought into action half as many again as Porter had； even with his reinforcements。 On the gallantly defended hill the long blue lines rocked； reeled； and broke to right and left all but the steadfast regulars； whose infantry fell back in perfect order； whose cavalry made a desperate though futile attempt to stay the rout by charging one against twenty； and whose four magnificent batteries； splendidly served to the very last round； retired unbroken with the loss of only two guns。 Then the Confederate colors waved in triumph on the hard…won crest against the crimson of the setting sun。
The victorious Confederates spent the twentyeighth and twenty…ninth in finding the way to McClellan's new base。 His absolute control of all the waterways had enabled him to change his base from White House on the Pamunkey to Harrison's Landing on the James。 When the Confederates discovered his line of retreat by the Quaker Road they pressed in to cut it。 On the thirtieth there was severe fighting in White Oak Swamp and on Frayser's Farm。 But the Federals passed through； and made a fine stand on Malvern Hill next day。 Finally； when they turned at bay on the Evelington Heights； which covered Harrison's Landing； they convinced their pursuers that it would be fatal to attack again； for now Northern sea…power was visibly present in flotillas of gunboats； which made the flanks as hopelessly strong as the front。
McClellan therefore remained safely behind his entrenchments； with the navy in support。 He had to his own credit the strategic success of having foiled Lee by a clever change of base； and to the credit of his army stood some first…rate fighting besides some tactical success； especially at Malvern Hill。 Nevertheless the second invasion of Virginia was plainly a failure； though by no means a glaring disaster； like the first invasion at Bull Run。
McClellan； again reinforced； still professed his readiness to take Richmond under conditions that suited himself。 But the most promising Northern force now seemed to be Pope's Army of Virginia； coming down from the line of the Potomac； forty…seven thousand strong； composed of excellent material； and heralded by proclamations which even McClellan could never excel。 John Pope； Halleck's hero of Island Number Ten； came from the West to show the East how to fight。 〃I presume that I have been called here to lead you against the enemy； and that speedily。 I hear constantly of taking strong positions and holding themof lines of retreat and bases of supplies。 Let us discard such ideas。 Let us study the probable line of retreat of our opponents； and leave our own to take care of themselves。〃 His Army of Virginia contained Fremont's （now Sigel's） corps； as well as those of Banks and McDowellall experts in the art of 〃chasing Jackson。〃
Jackson was soon ready to be chased again。 The Confederate strength had been reduced by the Seven Days and not made good by reinforcement； so Lee could spare Jackson only twenty…four thousand men with whom to meet the almost double numbers under Pope。 But Jackson's men had the better morale； not only on account of their previous service but because of their rage to beat Pope； who； unlike other Northerners； was enforcing the harshest rules of war。 His lieutenant； General von Steinwehr； went further； not only seizing prominent civilians as hostages （to be shot whenever he chose to draw his own distinctions between Confederate soldiers and guerillas） but giving his German subordinates a liberty that some of them knew well how to turn into license。 This； of course； was most exceptional； for nearly all Northerners made war like gentlemen。 Unhappily； those who did not were bad enough and numerous enough to infuriate the South。
Halleck； who had now become chief military adviser to the Union Government； was as cautious as McClellan and had so little discernment that he thought Pope a better general than Grant。 Lincoln； Stanton； and Halleck put their heads together； and an order soon followed which had the effect of relieving the pressure on Richmond and giving the initiative to Lee。 Halleck ordered McClellan to withdraw from Harrison's Landing； take his Army of the Potomac round by sea to Aquia Creek； and join Pope on the Rappahannockan operation requiring the whole month of August to complete。
Lee lost no time。 His first move was to get Pope's advanced troops defeated by Jackson； who brought more than double numbers against Banks at Cedar Run on the ninth of August。 The Federals fought magnificently； nine against twenty thousand men。 After the battle Jackson marched across the Rapidan； and Halleck wisely forbade Pope from following him； even though the first of Burnside's men （now the advanced guard of McClellan's army） had arrived at Aquia and were marching overland to Pope。 Then followed some anxious days at Federal Headquarters。 Jackson vanished； and Pope's cavalry； numerous as it was； wore itself out trying to find the clue。 MeClellan was still busy moving his men from Harrison's Landing to Fortress Monroe； whence detachments kept sailing to Aquia。 What would Lee do now？
On the thirteenth he began entraining Longstreet's troops for Gordonsville。 On the fifteenth he conferred with his generals。 And on the seventeenth； from the lookout on Clark's Mountain； he saw Pope's unsuspecting army camped round Slaughter Mountain within fifteen miles of the united Confederates。 Halleck had just given Pope the fatal order to 〃fight like the devil〃 till McClellan came up。 Pope was full of confidence。 And there he lay； in a bad stra