Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 23.djvu/210

 204 Southern Historical Society Papers.

General Pope, capturing all his papers, his dress uniform, several of the officers of his staff, and destroying a vast amount of military stores. On this occasion, as in the Peninsula, his bold raid was but the precursor of Stonewall Jackson's attack. In both cases it was Stuart who led the way and Jackson who struck the blow, and it may be doubted whether the dashing cavalry raid or the brilliant infantry attack had more to do with the successful result. Later in the same year Stuart performed a still greater feat.

Whilst McClellan was pursuing Lee southward after the battle of Antietam creek, Stuart, with 2,000 picked troopers and half a dozen light guns, stole round the right wing of the Federals, crossed the Potomac a little north of Williamsport, entered Maryland, passed rapidly through Mercersburg and Chambersburg, and finally recrossed the Potomac about fifteen miles from Washington, far to the left of McClellan' s army, with the loss of one killed and seven wounded. The result of his raid was the capture of a number of prisoners, the destruction of vast stores of supplies and arms, and the transfer to Virginia of two or three thousand valuable horses. By this time, however, the Yankees had taken a lesson from Stuart's successes, and had raised a considerable cavalry force. Well mounted and equipped, the Federal troops made up ia numbers what they wanted in the qualities of good cavalry soldiers; and henceforth the work of Stuart was more confined to the ordinary duties of cavalry in Euro- pean wars to the protection of the flanks of the main army. In the years 1863 and 1864 he had plenty to do. By degrees the Fed- erals had got together a considerable force, and Burford, Kilpatrick and Pleasanton were commanders not to be despised. Still, on all occasions, Stuart with inferior forces held his own, and often inflicted considerable damage on the invaders. During the winter of 1863 and the early months of the present year, he had been engaged in organizing his force for the campaign of 1864, and it is understood that it had attained a remarkable degree of efficiency. In the few cavalry encounters that have taken place between Lee's and Grant's armies, the Confederate cavalry, always inferior in numbers, has in- variably come off triumphant, and it is to General Stuart it owes its superiority. A skirmish near Richmond with General Sheridan's raiding column has unfortunately cost Stuart his life, and the Confed- eracy her best cavalry officer. But it is satisfactory to know that on this last occasion, as before, Stuart's horse was victorious, and that though a stray shot struck their young leader to the ground, it was amid the cheers which told of the enemy's repulse and flight.