Two Plans Of Attack

Two Plans Of Attack. The Battle of McDowell (May 8, 1862). , When he arrived in McDowell on May 8, 1862, Confederate Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson rode to the top of Sitlington's Hill. There he studied the terrain and Union positions in the village below with Confederate Gen. Edward "Allegheny" Johnson, who was commanding the southern troops on the field. Jackson decided against bringing his cannon atop the height, not wanting to risk losing them in the rocky terrain if he was forced to hurriedly withdraw., Instead, believing that no major fighting would occur that day, Jackson decided to move his artillery behind the Federals. He instructed his mapmaker, Jedediah Hotchkiss, to find a route behind the Union army and to have the artillery in place by 3 am on May 9 for an attack that day., But the Federals had other plans. As the Confederates deployed on Sitlington's Hill, Union Gen. Robert H. Milroy and his superior, Gen. Robert C. Schenck, agreed to make a reconnaissance-in-force to learn more about the threat they were facing - a decision accelerated by a rumor that Confederate artillery was being placed on Sitlington's Hill. Milroy believed that they "must at once take the aggressive or abandon the field." He was determined to "deliver a blow, if we could, and then retire from [Jackson's] front before he had recovered from the surprise.", The die was cast. As the Confederates were getting into position at the top of Sitlington's Hill, Union troops crossed the river and moved up a ravine in the Confederate front., "I made a reconnaissance for the purpose of obtaining accurate information of their (the Confederates) strength and position." , - Union Gen. Robert H. Milroy, (Captions):, Confederate Gen. Edward "Allegheny" Johnson , Image Courtesy of Library of Congress, Union Gen. Robert H. Milroy , Image Courtesy of Library of Congress, Gen. Robert C. Schenk , Image Courtesy of Library of Congress, Gen. "Stonewall" Jackson Image Courtesy of Library of Congress