Hey everyone, welcome to episode number 152 of our Civil War podcast.

My name is Rich.

And I'm Tracy. Hello y'all. Thanks for tuning into the podcast. When we left off last

time, it was the evening of Friday, May 30th, 1862, and the Confederate soldiers of the

Valley Army found themselves engaged in a desperate foot race as they tried to reach

Strasbourg before both Fremont and Shields closed the jaws of the Federal trap on Stonewall

Jackson.

On Friday evening, both Fremont and Shields were closer to Strasbourg than the Valley Army,

and there seemed every chance that the Yankees would close the pincers on Jackson.

On Friday, John C. Fremont had pushed his men 20 miles and 12 hours, which wasn't bad

considering the poor state of much of his command and the heavy rain that had dogged

the march.

And then James Shields, after capturing Front Royal, seemed ready, willing, and able to

carry out his part. He told Irvin McDowell on Friday evening, quote,

all now depends on activity. Fremont's four should be pushed forward by direct orders

from Washington. If all this be done, the enemy will be captured or cut to pieces.

But for all his bluster, Shields failed to follow through with the promised activity.

Saturday, May 31, dawned clear and warm, and nothing stood between Shields and Strasbourg

except a small force of Turner Ashby's rebel cavalry. But somehow, Shields had come

to believe that a division of Confederates, led by James Longstreet, had left Richmond

to reinforce Stunwall Jackson and that Longstreet was already somewhere nearby. And so Shields

suddenly fearful did nothing all day.

...