▁Valley ▁to ▁locate ▁the ▁Army ▁of ▁Northern ▁Virginia , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁on ▁the ▁move ▁since ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Chan cell ors ville ▁in ▁early ▁May . ▁On ▁June ▁ 1 7 , ▁Ple as ont on ▁decided ▁to ▁push ▁through ▁Stuart ' s ▁screen . ▁To ▁accomplish ▁his ▁goal ▁he ▁ordered ▁Brig . ▁Gen . ▁David ▁Mc M . ▁Gre gg ' s ▁division ▁from ▁Man ass as ▁J unction ▁west ward ▁down ▁the ▁Little ▁River ▁Turn pi ke ▁to ▁Ald ie . ▁Ald ie ▁was ▁tact ically ▁important ▁in ▁that ▁near ▁the ▁village ▁the ▁Little ▁River ▁Turn pi ke ▁inter se cted ▁both ▁the ▁Ash by ' s ▁G ap ▁Turn pi ke ▁and ▁Sn icker ' s ▁G ap ▁Turn pi ke , ▁which ▁respectively ▁led ▁through ▁Ash by ' s ▁G ap ▁and ▁S nick ers ▁G ap ▁of ▁the ▁Blue ▁R idge ▁Mountain ▁into ▁the ▁valley . ▁ ▁Battle ▁ ▁Early ▁that ▁very ▁same ▁morning , ▁Colonel ▁Mun ford ▁led ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁and ▁ 3 rd ▁Virginia ▁Caval ry ▁east ward ▁across ▁the ▁L oud oun ▁Valley ▁from ▁Upper ville ▁through ▁Middle burg ▁to ▁Ald ie ▁on ▁the ▁Bull ▁Run ▁Mountains ▁on ▁a ▁reconna issance ▁and ▁for age ▁mission . ▁He ▁established ▁a ▁line ▁of ▁pick ets ▁in ▁Ald ie ▁to ▁watch ▁for ▁enemy ▁activity ▁and ▁with d rew ▁his ▁two ▁reg iments ▁north west ▁of ▁town ▁on ▁the ▁Sn icker ' s ▁G ap ▁Turn pi ke ▁to ▁camp ▁on ▁the ▁farm ▁of ▁Franklin ▁Carter