On
4th May, 1862, George McClellan moved
his troops into the Shenandoah Valley
and along with John C. Fremont, Irvin
McDowell and Nathaniel Banks surrounded
Thomas Stonewall Jackson and his
17,000 man army. First Jackson attacked John
C. Fremont at Cross Keys before turning on Irvin
McDowell at Port Republic. Jackson then rushed his troops east
to join up with Joseph E. Johnston
and the Confederate forces fighting McClellan.
Major General John Pope, the commander
of the new Army of Virginia, was instructed to move east to Blue Ridge
Mountains towards Charlottesville. It was hoped that this move would
help George McClellan by drawing
Robert E. Lee away from defending Richmond.
Lee's 80,000 troops were now faced with the prospect of fighting two
large armies: McClellan (90,000) and Pope (50,000)
Joined by Thomas Stonewall Jackson,
James Longstreet, and George
Pickett, the Confederate troops attacked George
McClellan at Gaines Mill. and on 27th June. After severe fighting
the Union Army was forced to retreat. Union
Army losses were 893 killed, 3,107 wounded and 2,836 missing.
Whereas the Confederate Army had 8,751
killed and wounded.
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