MIDDLETOWN, June 19.—Everything to-day bears the appearance of a
“muss,” to come off somewhere in this region almost immediately.
Whether this will be on the Mount Jackson road, or at Front Royal, as
I stated in my former letter, it is impossible for me yet to say, but
I listen for the tidings hourly which shall announce the opening of
the battle. Matters point most directly to Front Royal, yet with the
acuteness of General Jackson to manage Secession affairs, it may break
upon us from some of the mountain defiles either beyond that point or
over on the Mount Jackson road, or just as likely in the immediate
vicinity of this place, or, again, between here and Winchester, in our
rear.
_With the condition of feeling that I know to exist among both
officers and men on the National side, I have no hesitation to state
that after a hotly contested field, the result of the battle will
be another grand “skedaddle.”_ The knowledge that Jackson has been
heavily reinforced is patent to every private in our ranks, and that
consequence must ensue which attends as a certainty upon the efforts
of men who fight under discouraging circumstances. The retreat
of June 2d is still fresh in their minds, and the failure of the
War Department to properly reinforce the division in the Mountain
Department, I believe, will be productive of results greatly to be
deplored. I may be mistaken in my conjectures, but I give you my
impressions, and leave to time to prove their correctness or falsity.
The electric wire may have notified you before this reaches you,
relative to what I say. I repeat, something is on the eve of being
accomplished, and only a change produced by unforeseen circumstances
will prevent its accomplishment.