Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 34.djvu/264

 256 Southern Historical Society Papers.

The realistic touches of a personal narrative give a life and spirit to his picture, which any effort of a non-participant would necessarily lack. He belonged to Ashby's Cavalry and volunteered for the fight as aide to Colonel Hunton, who tells in his official report of "the great service" White rendered "by his intimate knowledge of the country and his daring courage." Lieutenant- Colonel Jenifer, who was in command of the field until Hunton arrived, says he "never witnessed more coolness and courage than this young gentleman displayed, being exposed to the heaviest fire of the enemy." His subsequent career as a soldier was in accord with its early promise. He won promotion along with the praise of his generals, and as commander of White's (35th Va.) battalion, takes a place in our history among the boldest sabreurs who followed the plumes of Stuart, Hampton and the Lees.

It is because he has supplemented his active participation with a careful study of the official reports (which many writers fail to do) that I regard Colonel White as the best living authority as to the details of this battle, and will, therefore, quote from him freely.

THE PRELUDE.

Popular clamor at the North for an advance upon Richmond, which was lulled for a while by the disastrous rout of McDowell at Bull Run, revived in intensity three months later. General Mc- Clellan, who appreciated the magnitude of the undertaking more clearly than the political generals who were goading him to aggress- ive operations, had wisely utilized the interval to discipline and mobilize the Northern hosts, which had rallied to the Union Standard, into that formidable organization which became famous as the "Army of the Potomac," and he was now making prelimi- nary reconnaisances with the view to a combined movement upon the Confederate position near Manassas.

The main body of his army was in the defenses of Washington, south of the Potomac, and large Federal forces under Banks, Hamilton and Stone were located in Maryland, opposite the county of Loudoun, within easy march of the fords and ferries of the upper Potomac, which led to roads running to Leesburg. It will thus be seen that Leesburg was a point of prime strategic importance, the possession of which would make McClellan, by menacing or pass- ing Johnston's left flank to manoeuver him out of his position, and this evidently was his aim.