Page:History of the Ninth Virginia Cavalry in the War Between the States.djvu/64



The campaign of 1862 was the first in which we had seen much of the realities of flagrant war. The infantry had suffered the heaviest losses; the cavalry was still regarded by those not familiar with its duties as offering a place of comparative safety.

Our winter camp was now located at Occupacia, in Essex, and some weeks later on the Dragon, in King and Queen county. At the instance of a majority of the officers the duty was accepted for the regiments of picketing the Rappahannock from Port Royal to Urbana, with headquarters fixed near Lloyd's. This duty was the more cheerfully accepted because of the hope which it offered that we might cross the river and strike the marauding parties which were sent out by the enemy from their camps in Stafford as far down as the lower end of Westmoreland. Scouts were sent over and plans made to cross the river, but after repeated applications we got the liberty to do so, coupled with an order not to remain under any circumstances over twenty-four hours. One enterprise seemed practicable, even with this condition, and arms and boats were made ready, but the morning of the day of its execution brought the Colonel of the regiment an order for his presence at camp, to preside over a court-martial, and this unwelcome service continued through the winter. A