Diary of Salmon P. Chase: Saturday, August 2, 1862

At Department all day — went neither to the President's nor the War Department.

Genl. Shields called and talked over movement up the Shenandoah. He told me that when he received peremptory orders to return, he had held communication with Fremont and Jackson's capture was certain. I told him of my urgency that McDowell should be ordered forward with his entire command from Warrenton, per Front Royal, to Charlottesville and Lynchburg; that the President was not ready to act; that McDowell himself was apparently disinclined, preferring concentration at Manassas and then advance to Richmond. Plain enough now, he said, that this was the true movement. He had himself telegraphed McDowell that Jackson would be Pattersonized by recall of troops from pursuit. The troops were, nevertheless, recalled and by peremptory orders from the President himself, those of Shields were directed to return to Manassas and those of Fremont to resume position as a corps of observation.

It was a terrible mistake. It would have been easy to take Charlottesville and Lynchburg — very easy; the capture of Jackson, though not at the time seen at Washington to be practicable was, nevertheless, within easy possibility; his defeat and the dispersion of his force certain. Our troops were called off when they were just upon him. The course of the whole movement was changed, for no reason that I could see. Charlottesville and Lynchburg were saved to the enemy, with their stores and the Rail Roads on which they are situated, forming the great East and West communication of the rebels. A wide door for Jackson to Richmond was opened — the very door through which, a little later, he passed; fell in cooperation with the rebel army at Richmond, on McClellan's right, left unsupported as if to invite disaster; defeated it; and then, with the same army, pursued the Union main body to the James. Sad! sad! yet nobody seems to heed. Genl. Shields and I talked this all over, deploring the strange fatality which seemed to preside over the whole transaction. He dined with us; and after dinner, rode out with brother Edward and Nettie.

1. I. e., weakened as Patterson was by recall of troops to defend Washington the latter part of June 1861.

In the evening, several callers came in. Beebe, from Ravenna, a faithful friend — John R. French — Smith Homans — Chas. Selden — and some others. Selden says that at Cincinnati, old Mr. Molitor and Rev'd. Edw. Purcell spoke very kindly of me.

SOURCE: Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1902, Vol. 2, p. 52-3