Page:History of the Ninth Virginia Cavalry in the War Between the States.djvu/34

28 cutting off steaks, which they cooked on sticks set in the ground in front of the fires.

The great battles around Richmond were over, and McClellan's shattered army lay toilworn and beaten upon the James, resting under shelter of the guns of the fleet. The losses upon our side had been great. The private soldier saw that the plan of our commander had been marred in its execution, and the fights and losses of the first and last of these bloody fields were fearful blunders. A demonstration in front of Mechanicsville on Thursday whilst Jackson was reaching the rear was all that needed to be done at the time. And the occupation on Sunday of the roads leading to the James by the right wing of our troops would have saved us the disastrous battle of Malvern Hill, and cost the United States their splendid army. At least, thus we thought at the time, drawing our conclusions from the limited range of facts within our observation.

The infantry had won a full measure of glory, the artillery had achieved its laurels, while the cavalry in its flank marches, its scouting parties, its lonely picket posts, had not attracted any special attention, or gained any new reputation. A feeling not wholly exempt from contempt was entertained by many towards the trooper. Evils, too, were now developed, from which this arm of the service was never afterwards wholly free. No adequate supply of rations for man or horse was provided. The trooper rode his own horse, and if lost, he alone had to replace it. The quartermaster rarely had funds to pay the valuation. The trooper's roving for food for his horse, and his trespass upon private property were put upon that universal scapegrace Necessity, and winked at.

The regiment remained near Malvern Hill for about two weeks picketing the country on the James river below the enemy, and supporting artillery, which was sometimes ambushed near the banks of the river, and fired at transports going up. Whilst thus employed a very gallant act was performed by four young men from Company C—Privates Beale,