The Annals of the Civil War Written by Leading Participants North and South
Alexander Kelly McClure, Ed.

[606] Chancellorsville, the severe fight at Brandy Station, and in all the movements conducted by Stuart to mask the movements of Lee's army in the Valley of Virginia as it was being marched for the invasion of Maryland and Pennsylvania. At Aldie, in the county of Loudon, the Black Horse, under command of Lieutenant A. D. Payne, covered itself with glory. The Southern cavalry had been pressing the pursuit from the direction of the Blue Ridge, during the day, and had brought the enemy to a stand at a point on the Middleburg road two miles from Aldie, and at an equal distance from that place on the Snickersville road, these two roads converging at Aldie. Colonel Mumford was in advance with the Fourth Regiment, the Black Horse being the leading squadron. He halted his command, and taking with him two pieces of artillery, he ordered Lieutenant A. D. Payne to follow with his command. He posted the artillery on a prominent point in the angle formed by the two roads, and commenced firing on the enemy who were advancing in large numbers on the Snickersville turnpike. To capture the guns placed in this exposed position the Federals sent forward a regiment of Massachusetts infantry. In this critical position of his guns, Colonel Munford ordered Lieutenant Payne, who had not with him more than thirty of his men, the rest being scattered as videttes, to charge the advancing column of cavalry, but never expecting, as he afterward said, to see one of them return alive. Lieutenant Payne formed his men in the turnpike in a column of fours, and down upon the enemy he rode with a loud cheer, the dust concealing the insignificant nature of his force. The regiment, thus deceived by the boldness and impetuosity of the attack, fired at random and was thrown into confusion. A number of prisoners were captured before they discovered their error, and returned to the attack. But the object of the cavalry charge had been attained and the guns were withdrawn in safety, and the timely arrival of the rest of the brigade saved the detachment from destruction.

When Stuart discovered Hooker's intention to cross the Potomac at Edwards' ferry, he left two brigades of cavalry posted between Lee and the Federal army to continue to perform outpost duty, while with the rest of his division he moved to the rear of the enemy's cavalry, and placed himself between the Federal army and Washington. This he effected, crossing the Bull Run mountain, and, after raiding through Prince William and Fairfax counties, recrossed the railroad at Burk's Station, where he found a large store of forage of great value to his tired animals. From this point he marched to the Potomac, at Senecca falls, where, as the fording was deep, the