Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 40.djvu/266

262 course he took after he brought his 5,000 horsemen across the Potomac on the night of the 27th. Instead of proceeding "with all dispatch" to join Ewell, he stopped to break up the canal, and to intercept and capture canal boats and burn them; he also captured a wagon train and "took it along" on the march of the 28th. This proceeding consumed valuable time that should have been devoted to marching to Ewell. By that time Longstreet was at Chambersburg and Ewell at Carlisle. Was it not Stuart's duty to make all speed to overtake Ewell as three precious days had been lost? And could he do this encumbered by a captured wagon train? He knew that Hooker had crossed the Potomac and was marching northward. Then should it not have been his supreme purpose to march day and night and place himself in communication with Ewell, and be at hand to render whatever service he could? He does not seem to have been of that opinion, for he had only gone as far as Westminster by the evening of the 29th, though Westminster is less than 50 miles from the point where he had crossed the Potomac (two days' march for infantry). Had he pressed on the morning of the 28th he could easily have reported to General Early at York (30 miles further) before nightfall of the 29th, or certainly before daybreak of the 30th. In that case he would not have made the fruitless march to Carlisle but would have marched with Early on the 30th.

Observe that the march of Stuart's horsemen was seriously impeded by the captured wagon train which he "took along." In his report he says: "If my command had been well closed now, this cavalry column would have been at our mercy; but, owing to the great elongation of the column by reason of the 200 wagons and hilly roads, Hampton was a long way behind and Fitz Lee was not yet heard from on the left."

Again, he says, "our wagon train was now a subject of serious embarrassment." Observe that but for the drag put on General Stuart's column by the captured wagon train he might have marched from Westminster to Gettysburg by Littlestown; for he could have reached Westminster by tine morning of the 29th instead of at sundown; and at that earlier hour he probably would not have found the Federal cavalry on that road.