Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 08.djvu/459

Rh readily light my candle and read any dispatches which might come during the night. I remonstrated with him upon this needless exposure; but his reply was, "No! my men are exposed to this rain, and I will not fare any better than they." It was late in the night when a courier arrived from army head-quarters bearing a dispatch marked "confidential." Under ordinary circumstances I would not have ventured to break the seal, but the rain poured down so steadily that I was unwilling to disturb the general unnecessarily, and yet it might be important that he should immediately be acquainted with the contents of the dispatch. With some hesitation I opened it and read. It was a lengthy communication from General Lee, containing the directions upon which Stuart was to act. I at once carried it to the general and read it to him as he lay under the dripping tree. With a mild reproof for having opened a document marked "confidential," the order was committed to my charge for the night, and Stuart was soon asleep. The letter discussed at length the plan proposed of passing around the enemy's rear. It informed General Stuart that General Early would move upon York, Pennsylvania, and that he was desired to place his cavalry as speedily as possible with that, the advance division of Lee's right wing. The letter suggested that as the roads leading northward from Shepherdstown and Williamsport were already incumbered by the infantry, the artillery, and the transportation of the army, the delay which would necessarily occur in passing by these, would, perhaps, be greater than would ensue if General Stuart passed around the enemy's rear.

The letter further informed him that if he chose the latter route General Early would receive instructions to look out for him, and endeavor to communicate with him; and York, Pennsylvania, was designated as the point in the vicinity of which he was to expect to hear from Early, and as the possible, if not probable, point of concentration of the army.

The whole tenor of the letter gave evidence that the Commanding-General approved the proposed movement, and thought that it might be productive of the best results, while the responsibility of the decision was placed upon General Stuart himself. Well may General Longstreet say: " Authority thus given a subordinate general implies an opinion on the part of the commander that something better than the drudgery of a march along our flank might be open to him, and one of General Stuart's activity and gallantry should not be expected to fail to seek it."

Having received his orders on the night of the 23d of June, Stuart