A few days later he wrote to Lord Stanley of Alderley: "I have written to Johnny my reasons for thinking it decidedly premature.

I, however, suspect you will settle to do so! Pam, Johnny, and Gladstone would be in favour of it; and probably Newcastle.

I do not know about the others.

It appears to me a great mistake[767]." Opportunely giving added effect to Granville's letter there now arrived confused accounts from America of the battles about Washington and of a check to the Southern advance.

On September 17 there had been fought the battle of Antietam and two days later Lee, giving up his Maryland campaign, began a retreat through the Shenandoah valley toward the old defensive Southern lines before Richmond.