 Nenguva isipi, Banks akatanga kuwana mashoko anobva kuvagari vomunzvimbomo veUnion uye vanhu vatema kuti MGEN Thomas J. Stonewall boka raJackson revarume 17 000, richangobva kurova MGEN John C. Frémont paMcDowellakanga achienda kwaaienda. Banks akanga abviswa varume vake nezvombo zvokuti simba rake raipfuura 23 000 pakuvamba kwaMay kusvika ku9 000 musi wa21. Sezvo Jackson akanga ava panzvimbo yokuti amudzivise kuti asabatana neFremont, Banks akatanga kunetseka kana simba rake rakanga raderera pedyo neStrasburg neFront Royal, makiromita gumi nemashanu kumabvazuva-kumaodzanyemba kwakadziva kumabvazuva kwemupata, raizokwanisa kuramba chero kusangana naJackson. Musi wa 23 Chivabvu, Banks akagamuchira mishumo yaJackson achirwisa varwi paFront Royal pamberi pekubatanidzwa kweteregrafu uye akafunga kutanga kudzokera kuWinchester achitora Valley Turnpike kuitira kuti akwanise kutora chitima chake chekutakura naye. Pakazosvika 3:00 a.m., musi wa24 May, makiromita gumi nemaviri emitsetse yemabhenji aBanks akatanga kufamba achienda kuchamhembe achidzika nomumugwagwa unonzi Valley Turnpike kuenda kuWinchester. 