Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 26.djvu/262

 252 mystery that McClellan, knowing that it must be impossible for Stuart to retreat up the Pamunkey, should have made no attempt to capture him when returning up the James. To have done so he would only have had to spread a wing. Hooker's division was camped in three or four miles of the only road on which he could escape. The guard at Tunstall's didn't even have their guns loaded. In order to return to Richmond it was necessary to make a complete circle of McClellan's army and go up the left bank of the James. Of course, it was taken for granted that a large force would be sent in pursuit.

As some evidence of the panic that reigned, I will mention the fact that after we had passed Royall's camp a body of twenty U. S. regulars followed under a flag of truce, and surrendered. They were dumbfounded. Stuart had done something without precedent in war, which was not provided for by the cavalry tactics they had been taught. Before McClellan recovered from his shock, the raiders were back in their camps. Their escape was due to the novelty of the enterprise, and the courage and skill with which it was conducted. The column halted at Tunstall's long enough to close up; there were a good many prisoners and the cavalry only marched as fast as they could walk. About dusk it moved on through New Kent towards the Chickahominy; we had crossed it once, but would have to cross it again. It was a glorious moonlight night; there were sounds of revelry all along the line of march. The way was strewn with the wrecks of burning wagons; the forests were ablaze, and the skies red with light reflected from them. We only lost one man: a Dutchman drank too much of a sutler's Rhine wine and had to be left behind. It made us sad to see the flames destroying the plunder we could not carry off. Two brigades of cavalry, one of infantry, and a battery of artillery were in pursuit. They got to the railroad several hours after the Confederates left. The only ones who overtook us were those under a flag of truce. General Emory, who commanded their advance, says that he got to Tunstall's about 2 o'clock that night. Here, he says, he lost Stuart's trail, and could not find it until 8 o'clock next morning. It is a miracle that 1,200 cavalry and two pieces of artillery should have passed over a dirt road without making a track. It is more wonderful than Mahomet's escape from Mecca. It is clear that Providence was on the side of the Confederates. General Warren says: "It was impossible for the infantry