Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 24.djvu/362

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affording shelter and food for an innumerable host of harvest-bugs. These bugs put themselves upon terms of great familiarity with the men, crawling over them and seeming to have a fancy for exploring the depths of the ears of the sleepers. The shrieks and groans of the sufferers oftimes made night hideous, and aroused the whole camp. The aid of the surgeon was invoked, and his skill was tested in extracting the bores. While here Colonel Rosser made the ac- quaintance of the beautiful and classic Miss Winston, and began the most successful campaign of an active and aggressive soldier's life. Here, too, I was detailed as judge of a court-martial, of which Ste- phen D. Lee was president a man to whom the coming reunion will give an international fame. While we were sitting upon an impor- tant case the cavalry started upon a march, and we were ordered to our respective commands.

After an uneventful march of many miles we halted near the Rap- pahannock, upon an ideal camping ground a high, dry, clean oak grove, whose brown leaves were so inviting that many of the jaded horses were lying down before their saddles could be taken off. There was one man, E. M. Ware, who did not dismount, but sought the favor of going in search of better rations. He soon returned, elated with his success. He had traded his uncooked rations for good family fare and arranged to have loaf-bread, butter, honey, and milk so long as he might need them; but before these things came to hand "boots and saddles " sounded, and we were on our way up the river, the James City Cavalry acting as advance guard.

After crossing the river and passing through many villages, we came to Warrenton. Here I stopped long enough to call out Dr. Joel S. Bacon, once President of Columbian College, to shake his hands and ask about Josie, of whom I had pleasant reminiscences. We turned down the first street leading east, and were halted about a half-mile from the town, upon the brow of a hill commanding a beautiful view. Upon looking back, we saw that the whole of Stuart's Cavalry had dismounted in the town, and there was such a stir and commotion as to excite one's curiosity. But looking to the east, we descried something slowly approaching us. Nearer and nearer it came, until I ordered four men to capture it, and it proved to be a suttler's wagon. The wagon and driver we put in charge of A. B. Willis " K!" is now marked opposite his name on the roster. Willis knew more about basket-making than he did about cavalry tactics, yet when he brought his sabre to a carry, reined up his gray