The march of the Confederate cavalry from Chambersburg is one of the most remarkable in history. In thirty-six hours, the Confederates rode ninety miles, going completely around the Union army. They carried off hundreds of horses, and recrossed the Potomac in the presence of vastly superior forces of the Federals. Only one man was wounded and two stragglers were captured.
GENERAL STUART IN 1862
From an original negative by Cooke, the only negative from life that is extant
General Stuart himself, however, suffered a heavy personal loss, for his servant Bob who rattled the bones so well, got separated from the column, with two of the general’s favorite horses, Skylark and Lady Margaret. He wrote his wife that he hoped that they had fallen into the hands of the good secessionists at Emmitsburg, for he could not bear to think of the Federals having his favorite horses.
The horses of the Federal cavalry had been so worn out in pursuit of the wily Stuart that remounts were necessary before the cavalry could again advance into Virginia. The whole North was astonished and indignant that Stuart had again ridden completely around the Union army and had again made his escape.
To the South, Stuart was a peerless hero and he was welcomed with great acclamation. A lady of Baltimore, as a token of her appreciation of his gallantry, sent him a pair of gold spurs. He was very proud of these and in his intimate letters after this, he sometimes signed himself, “K. G. S.”, or “Knight of the Golden Spurs.”
CHAPTER VIII
THE CAVALRY AT CULPEPER AND FREDERICKSBURG
1862-’63
The brief space of two days was all the time given to the men and horses of Stuart’s command to rest and enjoy life at The Bower, before they were again called out to active service. General McClellan had sent two large forces of infantry and cavalry across the river to find out whether General Lee’s army was still in the Valley or whether it had moved east of the Blue Ridge mountains. After several skirmishes with Stuart’s cavalry, these troops retired, convinced that Lee was still in the Valley.
On October 26, McClellan crossed the Potomac and the weather continuing fine, he advanced his entire army to begin an autumn campaign against Lee. A week later, his forces began to advance toward Washington, a little village northwest of Culpeper and near the headwaters of the Rappahannock. This position was desirable because it would give an easy route toward Richmond. General Lee, however, sent Longstreet at once with some of the cavalry to head off the Federals at Culpeper, while Jackson was to remain in the Valley and threaten their rear.
