University of Virginia Library

1. I.

“Ho! for the Valley!”

This was the somewhat dramatic exclamation of Major-General
J. E. B. Stuart, about the 24th of June, 1863, as he got into
the saddle at the little village of Rector's Cross-Roads, between
Middleburg and Upperville, and turned his horse's head westward
toward the Blue Ridge mountains.

If the worthy reader will return in memory to that epoch, and
recall the route which the gay cavalier speedily directed his
column over, the words above quoted will appear somewhat
mysterious. “The situation” at the moment may be described
in a very few words; for the full record, see the “historian of
the future.” After the crushing defeat of Chancellorsville,
General Hooker cut behind him the pontoons covered with pine
boughs, to deaden the noise of his artillery wheels in crossing,
and took up a strong position on the northern bank of the Rappahannock
to repulse the expected onslaught of his great adversary,
Lee. No such attack, however, was intended. Lee preferred
to manœuvre his opponent out of Virginia—it was the
more bloodless proceeding—and very soon the soldiers of the
army understood that “Lee was moving.”

A grand review of the cavalry was ordered, near Culpeper
Court-House, and General Fitz Lee politely sent an invitation to
General Hood to attend it, and “bring any of his friends.” A
day or two afterwards, Hood appeared with his great division,

announcing that these were all “his friends,” and he thought he
would bring them along. The review duly took place east of
the Court-House. The squadrons of cavalry charged—General
Stuart and his staff in front; cannon thundered in mimic conflict;
the sun shone; bright eyes flashed; and beneath the
Confederate banner, rippling on its lofty pole, the Commander-in-Chief
sat his iron-gray, looking on. Festivities at the Court-House
followed; the youngesters of the army had a gay dance
with the young ladies from the country round; and almost in
the midst of the revelry, as at Brussels on the night of Waterloo,
the thunder of artillery was heard from the direction of Fleetwood
Hill, near Brandy. In fact, Stuart had been assailed there
by the élite of the Federal infantry and cavalry, under some of
their ablest commanders—the object of the enemy being to ascertain,
by reconnoissance in force, what all the hubbub of the
review signified—and throughout the long June day, they threw
themselves, with desperate gallantry, against the Southern
horse—no infantry on our side taking part in the action. Colonel
Williams was killed; Captain Farley, of Stuart's staff, was
killed; Captain White, of the staff, too, was wounded; Colonel
Butler was wounded; General W. H. F. Lee was shot down at
the head of his charging column; and Stuart himself was more
than once completely surrounded. For three hours the battle
was “touch and go;” but thanks to the daring charges of Young
and Lee, the enemy were driven; they slowly and sullenly retired,
leaving the ground strewed with their dead, and at nightfall
were again beyond the Rappahannock.

The trumpet of battle had thus been sounded; action followed.
Lee put his columns in motion for Pennsylvania; Stuart advanced
with his cavalry to hold the country east of the Blue
Ridge, and guard the passes as the long column moved through;
and then commenced a war of the giants between the opposing
horse of the Federal and Confederate armies. It was a matter of
grave importance that Hooker should undo the designs of Lee;
and mighty efforts were made to burst through the cavalry
cordon, and strike the flank of the moving army. Stuart was,
however, in the way. On all the roads was his omnipresent

cavalry, under the daring Hampton, Fitz Lee, the gay and gallant
cavalier, and others as resolute. Everywhere the advance
of the enemy's cavalry was met and driven back, until about the
twentieth of June. Then a conclusive trial of strength took
place. A grand reconnoitring force, composed of a division of
infantry under General Birney, I believe, and several divisions
of cavalry, with full supports of artillery, was pushed forward
from Aldie; Stuart was assailed simultaneously along about
fifteen miles of front; and in spite of his most strenuous efforts,
he was forced slowly to fall back toward the Ridge. This was
one of the most stubborn conflicts of the war; and on every
hill, from the summit of every knoll, Stuart fought with artillery,
cavalry, and dismounted sharpshooters, doggedly struggling
to hold his ground. The attempt was vain. Behind the heavy
lines of Federal skirmishers advanced their dense columns of
cavalry; behind the cavalry were seen the bristling bayonets of
their infantry; from the right, the left, and the front, thundered
their excellently served artillery. Stuart was pushed from hill
to hill, the enemy came on mile after mile, and at Upperville a
great disaster seemed imminent. The Federal forces closed in
on front and flanks, made a desperate attack with the sabre,
and the result seemed about to be decided. Stuart was in the
very hottest of the press, sword in hand, determined evidently
to repulse the enemy or die, and his black feather was the mark
of a hundred pistol-balls—his rich uniform clearly indicating
his rank to the Federal troopers almost in contact with him.
This was the depressing situation of affairs—the centre driven,
and the column on the Bloomfield road falling rapidly back on
the left, thus exposing the main body to imminent danger of
being cut off, when the Deus ex machinâ appeared in the person
of Wade Hampton. That good cavalier saw the crisis, formed his
column under the heavy fire, and taking command in person,
went at them with the sabre, seareely firing a shot. The result
was that the Federal line was swept back, the élite of the
charging force put hors du combat by the edge of the sabre, and
the Southern column fell back toward Paris, in the mouth of
Ashby's Gap, without further difficulty.

The enemy had accomplished their object, and they had not
accomplished it. Stuart was forced to retire, but they had not
succeeded in penetrating to the Ridge. No doubt the presence of
infantry there was discovered or suspected, but otherwise the
great reconnoissance was unproductive of substantial results.

On the same night they retired. Stuart followed them at
dawn with his whole force; and by mid-day he was in possession
of Middleburg, several miles in advance of his position on the
day before.

Such was the quick work of these two days.