Year: 1879

liz bIIiiAtiit anu Iilit5Lit SttCScCd. iAI-oN
ing the country perfectly, and our exact
situation, I watched Stuart's face with
interest, curious TO ascertain what he was
going to 90. The first words lie uttered
after musing for moment, pnt my
doubts entirely At rest.


s'Tell IFitz Lee to come along" said
he to me, I am going to move along
steadily with my column"


Moving on, meant a complete circuit
Of McClellan's army, with ayiow to cross
below.


Well said, my own opinion is that
the quicker we move now the better


Right, was Stuart's reply go to the
head OF the column and tell it to move
on at a irot.'


The order was delivered, and also that
to Col. I'itz Lee who sounded ''to horse
and followed-the moTments OF his men
somewhat hastaneJ, no doubt, by the
report that one Of the burning tents
contained large quantity OF powder. I
rcioined Stuart at the head Of the column
and was soon convinced that he had fully
resolved to ride around the federal army
Il was neck or nothing. In twenty-four
hours the whole command would be
dead or captured, or would have escaped.
Stuart had plainly determined to take
the chances, and was moving steadily
toward the York river Iailroad, connect
ing the federal army with its base at
the White House landing on the Pamun-
kee.


Every thing was now Oh the qui yive,
as an attack might take place at any
moment either on the front or rear. \
laughablo incident proved that the men
were looking for one, and that Stuart
expected it would come from the rear, as
he sent me to Col. Martin. commanding 2
there, with the message:


Tell him 10 have his artillery ready
and look ont for an attack at any mo-
ment.'


L WAS riding back after delivering this
order, when CRY passed along the line:


Yankees in the rear =


Sabres flashed oat, horses wheeled, and
then came a burst Of Iaughter-showing
that the alarm was false. Many incidents
followed on the line Of march. The peo-
pie ran from their houses, delighted at
the sight of gray coats in that blue in-
tested region, and the men gazed with
admiring eyes upon q beautiful girl who
hastened up and threw her arms around
the neck Of q brother in the column,
kissing him and crying with delight.
Another incident was the capture Of a
wagon fun OF champagne and other lux
uries on its way from Pamunkee to the
quarters Of 8 federal general, and q keg
Of whiskey which Was part of the cargo
played an important part in rescuing one
of the confederate cannon. This had
sunk into bottomiess mudhole of the
low grounds and vas buried to the axle.
The horses were lashed and made violent
efforts to drag. il out but could not sue
ceei. At this crisis one OF the men, evil
IDENTIFY Of Dutch origin, cried out to Lieut.
McGregor, commanding the guns:


Cat, lieutenant the horses can't DO
it. But just put that lseg of whisllcy on
the gun and tell the men they can go in
to it if they only pull through ?


The scheme was at once adopted and
the keg mounted on the cannon. At tho
signal the cannoncers rushed into the
mudhole and seized the gun carriage and
lifted it bodily to firm ground. As it
mounted and was safe, l presume the
keg was dismounted. | do not remem-
Der, having ridden on. The alarm was
now given and wagons were seen hurry
ing in every direction. They were over
taken rifed and set on fre-a fate shared
by two or three federal transports on the
river, from which n dense black smoke
arose. We were now in sight of TuG-
stalls-the railway crossing-where a
heavy picket was stationed. This was
charged at once, and Tetroated lapidIv,
the officer in command falling into the
hands Of the confedrates. He had Just
filed hideous looking wooden pipe,
and was about to light it when con-
federate politely requested him to sur
render it.


4 want to SMOKE growlcd the federal
captain, greatly disgustcd apparently at
his capture.


SO do T. was the retort.


My pipe is my own property


'Oh what n mistake = responded the
other, reaching from the saddle and TAX
ing the pipe which he placed between
his own lips.


The railway crossing was now in Stu
arts possession and under the quick
blows Of the axes the telegraph poles
were soon crushing down. an attempt
was also made to burn a small bridge
near by, but the timbers were too damp.
In the midst of all this scene of hustle a
) hrin whistle was beard from the direc-
tion Of the Chickahominy /; railway
train was evidently approaching, and it
was soon seen coming around wooded
bend. \ loud order to halt was given,
but the train did not stop. On the con-
trary steam was crowded on, and it shot
by in the midst of fusilade, which, it
IS said, wounded some OF the troops on
the train and killed the engineer. In a
moment it disappeared, and getting his
men into column again, Stuart pushed
on toward the village Of Talleysville, di-
rectly in the federal rear. He afterward
told me that the temptation to attack and
destroy the great depot Of stores ut the
White House was almost irresistible. but
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