STUART’S RIDE AROUND MCCLELLAN.

throw troops along its line to any given point.However, no timely information had been furnishedto the Federal general. We moved with suchcelerity that we carried with us the first news ofour arrival. Pushing forward at a trot, and pick-ing up straggling prisoners every few hundredyards, the advance-guard at length reached thetelegraph road. At this point we overtook anordnance wagon, heavily loaded with canteensand Colt’s revolvers. The horses had stalled ina mud-hole, and the driver, cutting them out fromthe wagon, made his escape. The sergeant incharge stood his ground and was ca,ptured. Herewas a prize indeed, as in those days we werepoorly armed. In order to save time, a man fur-nished with an ax was sent to cut the telegraphwire, while the rest of the party was engaged inrifling the wagon. While these operations werein progress a body of Federal cavalry, suddenlyturning a bend in the road, made their appear-ance. As soon as the Federal officer in com-mand saw us he called a halt, and, standing stillin the road, seemed at a loss to know what to do.His men drew their sabers, as if about to charge,but they did not come on. By this time the tele-graph had been cut and the wagon disposed of.Our men were hastily mounted and formed intocolumn of fours, with drawn sabers, ready for anyemergency. There we stood, eying each other,about two hundred yards apart, until the head ofthe main Confederate column came in sight, whenthe Federals retreated down the road leading tothe White House . One man of the Federal partywas sent back along the road to Tunstali’s station,now only about half a mile off. I supposed, ofcourse, that this messenger was sent to warn theFederal troops at Tunstali’s of our approach. Iwas, however, afterward informed that he gal-loped through Tunstali’s but never stopped, andwhen some one called to him, “What’s to pay?”he dashed along, calling out, at the top of his voice,“Hell’s to pay!”

The road now being clear, we marched onbriskly, and arriving near the station chargeddown upon it with a yell. We could see the enemyscattered about the building and lounging aroundbefore we charged them. The greater part scat-tered for cover, and were pursued by our people.I pushed straight for the station-house, where Ifound the captain of the company of infantry, withthirteen of his men, standing in front of the build-ing, but with no arms in their hands. Only one ofthem seemed disposed to show fight. He ran tothe platform where the muskets were stacked, and,seizing one of them, began to load. Before hecould ram his cartridge home, a sweep of the saber,in close proximity to his head, made him throwdown his gun, and, jumping into a ditch, he dodgedunder the bridge over the railroad and made hisescape. I had no time to pursue him ; but, turningto look after the others, met the captain, who,sword in hand, advanced and surrendered himselfand his company as prisoners of war. I then pro-ceeded to obstruct the railroad. To do this effect-ually, I caused a tree to be cut down which wasstanding on the side of the road. It fell across the

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railroad. In addition to this, I placed across thetracks an oak-sill about a foot square and four-teen feet long. I had barely time to do this beforea train from the direction of Richmond camethundering down. At this time General Stuart,with the main body, arrived at the station. Theengine driver of the coming train, probably see-ing the obstructions on the track and a largeforce of cavalry there, suspected danger, and,being a plucky fellow, put on all steam, and camerushing down. The engine, striking the obstruc-tions, knocked them out of the way and passed onwithout accident. General Stuart had dismounteda number of his men, and posted them on a highbank overlooking a cut in the road, just belowthe station, through which the train was aboutto pass. They threw in a close and effective fireupon the passing train, loaded with troops. Manyof these were killed and wounded.

It was now the second night since leavingcamp, and the w'ell-filled haversacks with whichwe started from camp had long since been empty.The inarch had been so rapid that there was littleopportunity of foraging for man or beast. Excepta little bread and meat, brought out to the columnby the country people as we passed along, we hadhad nothing since daybreak. The men were wearyand hungry, and the horses almost exhausted bythe long fast and severe exercise. As soon as aproper disposition had been made of the prisonersand of the captured, horses and mules, the columnmoved on. I)ow T n through New Kent County, to aplace called New Baltimore, we marched as rapidlyas our condition w'ould permit. I was still in thecommand of the advance-guard, marching somedistance ahead of the column, and had orders tohalt at this point, and await the coming up of themain body. Fortunately, an enterprising Yankeehad established a store here, to catch the trade ofall persons passing from McClellan’s army to hisbase of supplies at the White House . He hadcrackers, cheese, canned fruits, sardines, and manyother dainties dear to the cavalryman; and in thebrief hour spent with him we of the advance w r eremade new men. I fear little was left to cheer andto invigorate those in the rear. The main bodyarriving, “forward” was the order — straightdown through New Kent to Sycamore Ford onthe Chickahominy.

A beautiful full moon lighted our way andcast weird shadows across our path. Expectingeach moment to meet the enemy, every bush inthe distance looked like a sentinel, and every jag-ged tree bending over the road like a vidette.Marching all night, we arrived at the ford betweendaybreak and sunrise; and here our real troublesbegan. To our chagrin, we found the streamswollen by recent rains almost out of its banks,and running like a torrent. No man or horsecould get over without swimming, and it hap-pened that the entrance to the ford on our sidewas below the point at which we had to come out onthe other side. Therefore, we had to swim againstthe current. Owing to the mud and mire, it wasnot practicable for any number of horses to ap-proach the river at any point except by the road