The refusal to accept Grant's plan then called forth from that commander, dictatorial power and unlimited means. He was informed that the blood, brawn and brain as well as the treasury of the country was at his feet.

With that assurance, he began to outline a most stupenduous campaign. The Potomac army was raised to a standard in numbers and equipment never before attained; Mr. Stanton reported to the first session of the thirty-ninth Congress, that army had enrolled under its banners 149,160 enlistments, 318 modern field guns and a wagon train of supplies stated by General Grant in his "Memoirs" as sixty-five miles long. Swinton, the Potomac army's graphic historian, gives Lee of all arms, 52,626! and Fitz Lee adds, 224 cannon.

These figures as a preface to the new campaign opened at "The Wilderness," at midnight, May 3, 1864; the mighty struggle of that year's campaign started, when Grant began crossing the Rapidan at Ely's Ford.

But detail of the great Battle of the Wilderness is not the province of this paper that action is laconically stated by President Davis as "a battle of mind against matter." That is a mighty sarcasm, yet a potent truth. This paper deals only with that part in the bloody drama performed by Jeb Stuart and his troops.

These troops were on picket at the various fords when the great blue column approached. In accordance with orders, they simply remained in observation and reported from time to time the progress and movements of Grant's army.

Stuart personally conductetd A. P. Hill's column on the morning of the 5th until it became engaged with the blue infantry. Then he betook himself and his troopers to the right flank of the Confederate line. That same day Rosser was in collision with Torbett's division, commanded by Wesley Mer

ritt, and roughly handled the Federal cavalry.

When, after the third day of battle, Grant found his sledge-hammer blows had failed to dent Lee's armor, or to beat down his guard, he shipped Torbett's troopers of Warren's Fifth Corps by his left flank to surprise and envelop the Confederate right and interpose between Lee and Richmond.

But the inspiration that guided the great Virginian all through that remarkable campaign prompted him to anticipate Grant's strategy. Fitz Lee's division of cavalry and Johnson's battery of horse artillery were on guard at the endangered key-point. Tenaciously they clung to this all-important position, while Longstreet's veterans under Dick Anderson were pressing along the road.

Stuart told his men to fix their teeth with a bull-dog's grip on that piece of landscape, and driving the spur into the flanks of his horse, raced up the road to urge Anderson forward, and brought them into a line behin a crest just as Warren's infantry was lifting Fitz's troops from the position.

Breathed directed Johnson to retire the left section of the guns, while he would continue with the right section, but finally agreed to retire gun by gun when absolutely necessary, and as the third gun was limbered up Johnson caught a bullet in and through the shoulder. Before any of the guns had been retired Warren's men were almost upon them and from all sides came "Surrender! Surrender!!" Major Breathed stood by the fourth and last piece. Before the gun could be moved, the drivers and horses of the lead and swing teams were killed or wounded and the driver of the wheel team had his arm shattered by a bullet.

Major Breathed swung himself from his horse, mounted the wheel horse and with the enemy almost upon the gun, brought the piece safely to the rear.

A Federal soldier, a Massachusetts man, told the writer that he witnessed that act of daring heroism. He said their hands were almost on the gun, as Breathed applied the spur and with cool effrontery, in answer to their demand for surrender, placed his thumb to his nose and wiggled his fingers at them. By this time Dick Anderson's men were in position and had caught their second breath after quite a tramp at "double-quick!" and as Warren's men came on the crest, they delivered a volley at close range, mowing down the blue line.

Stuart remained with the left wing of Anderson's corps and so often exposed himself, the infantry line of officers chided him for it on the skirmish line. Major McClellan says: "Not even a courier was with him. I was the only member of his military family with him. He kept me busy carrying messages to General Anderson, and some of these seemed so unimportant, at last the thought occurred to me that he was endeavoring to shield me from the dangers he seemed to invoke. I said to him: 'General, my horse is weary; you are exposing yourself, and you are alone. Please let me remain with you.' He smiled and bade me go with another message to General Anderson."

And we are now nearing the last act in the bloody drama of "Campaigning with Jeb Stuart." On the 8th the Federal cavalry retired from their front and concentrated in rear of their battle line and moved for Fredericksburg. On the 9th General Sheridan started with twelve thousand cavalry and a large force of horse artillery. This imposing force, when marching in columns of fours, covered twelve miles of the road upon which it was moving. Massing behind the infantry, then moving to Fredericksburg, it placed Sheridan beyond the ken of Stuart's keen-eyed pickets. Thence striking out for Hamilton's crossing and across to the Telegraph Road, Sheridan got well on the

way to the objective point of his foray; before Stuart was aware he had swung loose from Grant's main army.

Stuart quickly divined the true intent of the expedition-a sudden swoop upon the outer defenses of Richmond and by a sudden coup de main, the capture of the Confederate capital. In two hours after Sheridan's march had been discovered, Wickham's brigade was after him and caught up with his rear guard at Massaponax churcch. At Jarrald's Mill, Wickham drove the Sixth Ohio-Sheridan's rear guard—in upon the main body. At Mitchell's Shop the First New Jersey cavalry stif fened their Ohio comrades, and made so determined a stand, two of Wickham's regiments recoiled from the charge. Wickham then called for Mathews' squadron of the Third Virginia, saying, "I know he will go through."

Mathews led his squadron in columns of fours and did go through, but not to turn. The enemy closed in upon them, killing five and wounding three others. Captain Mathews' horse was shot from under him, and while defending himself with his sabre, dismounted, was himself mortally wounded.

At this point, Stuart, with Fitz Lee, joined Wickham with Lomox's and Gordon's brigades-the three brigades a little exceeding four thousand troopers. Following Sheridan, Stuart again overtook him at Beaver Dam Station. Stuart's wife and children were visiting Colonel Edmond Fontaine in this immediate neighborhood and Stuart took a brief spell off to ascertainn their welfare-fearing they might have been molested by the raiders. Finding them all right he hastened after his column. At Nigger Foot, Stuart again divided his column, sending Gordon on Sheridan's trail, while with Fitz Lee and the two other brigades he marched for Hanover Junction to intercept the head of the raiders. Reaching that point he founnd Fitz Lee's men and horses so .

worn down he was compelled to halt for the night or until one o'clock next morning. Reaching Ashland, Stuart ascertained a part of the Second Virginia had encountered some of Sheridan's troops here and had driven them out with considerable loss. Thence Stuart cut across to head the raiders at Yellow Tavern the intersection of Telegraph and Old Mountain roads-reaching that point about 10 a. m. Stuart found he had headed Sheridan's column here and had time to arrange to meet the raiders. General Bragg, as military advisor to President Davis, was also in command. of Richmond and its immediate environments. In the hurry of the march to anticipate Sheridan, Stuart had not had time to post himself of General Bragg's resources for the defense of Richmond, and was uncertain whether to take position in front of the advancing raiders, or upon their flank. He elected the latter alternative. He sent Major McClellan to General Bragg's headquarters to ascertain the force he could collect to defend the city. General Bragg estimated the irregular troops in Rich. mond, including the details in the arsenals and other Government depots at. about 4,000. He also stated three small brigades had been ordered from the Petersburg defenses and were hourly expected. With these, he felt he could maintain the defenses against Sheridan's attack.

On Major McClellan's return, about 2 p. m., Stuart informed him there had been severe fighting earlier in the day, the enemy assuming the offensive, attempting to drive him from the Telegraph road, but that he had succeeded in repulsing them after a desperate hand-to-hand conflict. In their engage. ment there had been heavy losses, including Colonel H. C. Pate of the gallant Fifth Virginia cavalry. Stuart spoke enthusiastically of Colonel Pate's personal gallantry in the combat. Wickham held the right and Lomax the left. of the line Stuart had assumed at Yel

low Tavern. Here it is well to give Major McClellan's recollection of the fight in the afternoon.

"About four o'clock the enemy suddenly threw a brigade of mounted cavalry upon our left, attacking our whole line at the same time. As he always did, the General hastened to the point where the greatest danger threatened-the point against which the enemy directed the mounted charge. My horse was so much exhausted by my severe ride of the morning that I could not keep pace with him, but Captain G. W. Dorsey, of Company "K" First Virginia cavalry, gave me the particulars that follow.

"The enemy's charge captured our battery on our left, and drove in almost the entire left-where Captain Dorsey was stationed immediately on the Telegraph Road-about eighty men had collected and among these General Stuart threw himself, and by his personal example steadied them while the enemy charged entirely past their position. With these men he fired into their flank and rear as they passed him, in advancing and retreating, for they were met by a mounted charge of the First Virginia cavalry and driven back some distance. As they retired, a man who had been dismounted in the charge and was running out on foot, turned as he passed the General and discharged his pistol, inflicting the fatal wound.

"When Captain Dorsey discovered he was wounded, he came at once to his assistance and endeavored to lead him to the rear; but the General's horse became so restive and unmanageable that he insisted upon being taken down and allowed to rest against a tree. When this was done, Captain Dorsey sent for another horse. While waiting, the General requested him to leave him and return to his men and drive the enemy back. He said he feared he was mortally hit and could be of no more service.

"Captain Dorsey told him that he could not obey his order to leave him;

some, a splendid rider, bred to arms, of wonderful physical endurance, he was a beau ideal trooper; and since the death of Jackson, the Army of Northern Virginia had sustained no such loss. In General Orders General Lee thus bemoaned the loss of his cavalry commander: "Among the gallant soldiers who have fallen in this war General Stuart was second to none, in valor, in zeal, and in unflinching devotion to his country. His achievements form a conspicuous part of the history of this army, with which his name and services will be forever associated. To military capacity of a high order, and to nobler virtues of the soldier, he added the brighter graces of a pure life, guided and sustained by the Christian's faith and hope. The mysterious Hand of an all-wise God has removed him from the scene of his usefulness and fame. His grateful countrymen will mourn his loss and cherish his memory. To his comrades in arms, he has left the proud recollection of his deeds and the inspiring influence of his example."

That was General Lee's estimate of Stuart. When Jackson had been struck down in the dark shadows of the wilderness surrounding Chancellorsville, and A. P. Hill wounded and disqualified to command the Stonewall Corps, General Jackson said: "Send for General Stuart," and when the bronze bearded cavalry man reported and asked for Stonewall's plans, Jackson responded, "Tell General Stuart he must act upon his own judgment and

do what he thinks best-I have implicit confidence in him."

Such encomium as that uttered by Jackson is praise indeed.

In 1907, at the Great Confederate reunion in Richmond, there was unveiled the most inspiring bronze in this country. Horse and rider idealized Stuart in leading his men "into the jaws of death." It is complete, and fits the conception of his troopers beyond their expectations. Captain John Esten Cooke, of his staff, soldier, author, poet, thus incribes his lore in an ode to his campaign cup, the breaking of which called the tragic memoirs of that tragic past:

His lips this broken vessel touched,
His too-the nan we all adore
That Cavalier of cavaliers,

Whose voice will sing no more Whose plume will ficat amid the storm Of battle never more!

Not on this idle page I write

That name of names, shrined in the core Of every heart-peace! foolish pen Hush! words s cold and poor,

His sword is rust; his blue eyes dust, His bugle sounds no more!

Never was cavalier like our:

Not Rupert in the years before! And when his stern, hard work was done His griefs, joys, battles o'er,

His mighty spirit rode the storm,

And led his men once more.

He lies beneath his native sod,

Where violets spring or frost is hoar: He recks not-changing squadrons watch His raven plume no more,

That smile we'll see, that voice we'll hear, That hand we'll touch no inore.