On May 7, 1862, with Union forces occupying Fort Johnson and moving to capture Staunton, “Stonewall” Jackson advanced with speed and secrecy to the foot of Shenandoah Mountain and moved west toward the fighting that would defeat Union Generals John C. Fremont and R.H. Milroy at the Battle of McDowell two days later. That morning, after a 25-mile ride from Staunton to Rodgers’ Toll-gate in Ramsey’s Draft, where the advance of General Johnson’s men had struck the Federal outpost, killing and wounding several, capturing stores, and driving the main body of the enemy advance up Shenandoah Mountain, Jackson ordered Major Jedediah Hotchkiss to climb the spur on the right with skirmishers and determine whether the enemy still held Fort Johnson at the pass on the summit, while Colonel Williamson did the same on the left. After a hard scramble up the steep slope, Hotchkiss reached the top and found the enemy gone, though their rear guard could be seen on Shaw’s Ridge beyond.