Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 30.djvu/152

 144 Southern Historical Society Papers.

above the din could be heard the voices of McDowell's men, 'We are whipped! Whipped like h 1!*

" In the famous charge at the battle of Williamsburg, with all the color-bearers and buglers at the head of the column, with not a saber or pistol drawn in the whole regiment, and impeded by a dense wood, where .they had run into the mouth of McClellan's army of 50,000 strong, the sable plumes of the Black Horse waved, and when Colonel Wickham was disabled, General (then Major) William H. Payne, took command, and was himself next day badly wounded. ' '

Details were at that time made from the Black Horse to carry dis- patches between the general commanding and Fort Magruder. Judge James Keith, now president of the Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia, who was a private in the company, made many marvel- lous escapes from capture and greatly distinguished himself.

General Longstreet, wishing men for picket duty, after failing to secure a satisfactory guide in that region was much annoyed, when General Stuart remarked that he could always count on the Black Horse in emergencies. " Send to it," Stuart said, " and you will be furnished with a guide to any point in Virginia. " It so happened that some of the men had attended William and Mary College as students, and knew the roads as well as their own, in Fauquier.

The Black Horse took part in the raid around McClellan simply for observation, and it was a miracle that they were not all captured.

No historian could follow them in the role they played in the Seven Days' Fights. General Lee, learning that Burnside had moved by sea from North Carolina, to reinforce Stuart with his brigade, of which the Black Horse was a part, ordered them to make a reconnoissance in that direction.

The Black Horse saw some very active service and gained infor- mation that proved most valuable to the army. They afterward helped to drive Pope across the Rappahannock, and now, being in that part of the State where most of them were raised, the troop was called upon to supply scouts to the different commanders, and in the enemy's future movements upon General Pope's forces, was of great service. Stonewall Jackson soon discovered of what good stuff the Black Horse was composed and detailed the company to act at his headquarters as couriers.

Lieutenant A. D. Payne was sent back with half of the troopers to meet General Lee, who was following Jackson when marching against Pope's big army. It is said that the Black Horse looked