Should  you  not  be  sustained  by  the  population  of  the  Valley,  so
as  to  enable  you  to  turn  upon  the  enemy  before  reaching  "Win-
chester, you  will  continue  slowly  to  retire  to  the  Manassas  road,
upon  some  of  the  passes  of  which  it  is  hoped  you  will  be  able  to
make  an  effective  stand,  even  against  a  very  superior  force.  To
this  end,  it  might  be  well  to  send  your  engineer  to  make  a  re-
connaissance and  construct  such  temporary  works  as  may  be  use-
ful and  proper.  .  .  .  For  these  reasons  it  has  been  with  reluctance
that  any  attempt  was  made  to  give  you  specific  instructions,  and
you  will  accept  assurances  of  the  readiness  with  which  the  freest
exercise  of  discretion  on  your  part  will  be  sustained.
"  Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant,
(Signed)  "S.  Cooper,

"Adjutant  and  Inspector- General '."

The  earliest  combat  in  this  quarter,  and  which,  in  the  inex-
perience of  the  time,  was  regarded  as  a  great  battle,  may  claim  a
passing  notice,  as  exemplifying  the  extent  to  which  the  individ-


342      RISE  AND  FALL  OF  THE  CONFEDERATE  GOVERNMENT.
uality,  self-reliance,  and  habitual  use  of  small-arms  by  the  peo-
ple of  the  South  was  a  substitute  for  military  training,  and,  on
the  other  hand,  how  the  want  of  such  training  made  the  North-
ern new  levies  inferior  to  the  like  kind  of  Southern  troops.
