 Ramba uchiverenga ndima iyi - MuWashington, Mutungamiri Lincoln uye Munyori weHondo Edwin M. Stanton vakasarudza kuti kukundwa kwaJackson kwakanga kuri chinhu chinokosha kunyange zvazvo mirayiro yaJackson yakanga iri kungoita kuti mauto eUnion arambe ari kure neRichmond. Vakarayira Irvin McDowell kuti atumire varume 20 000 kuFront Royal uye Frémont kuti vaende kuHarrisonburg. Kana masimba ose ari maviri akakwanisa kuungana paStrasburg, nzira bedzi yokupukunyuka yaJackson kumusoro kweMupata yaizogurwa. Mhedzisiro yekukurumidza yechiito ichi yaive yekumisa kurwisa kwaMcDowell kwakarongedzwa naMcClellan paRichmond. Kutanga pana May 29, apo makoramu maviri emauto eUnion akamudzingirira, Jackson akatanga kufambisa uto rake mukufamba kwakamanikidzwa kumaodzanyemba kuti atize kufamba kwepincer, achifamba mamaira makumi mana mumaawa makumi matatu nematanhatu. Mauto ake akatora nzvimbo dzokuzvidzivirira muCross Keys nePort Republic, kwaakakwanisa kukunda Frémont naJames Shields kubva kumira kwaMcDowell, zvakateerana, musi waJune 8 naJune 9. 