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[70] the army commenced that long and weary march that was to end with the battle of Gettysburg. On this march Vincent rendered signal service. By the 19th of June the Fifth Corps had reached Aldie. But little was known of the movements of the Rebels, and it was important to learn whether their main army was still behind the Blue Ridge. To ascertain this, General Pleasanton, commanding the cavalry corps, was directed to engage their cavalry, known to be between Aldie and Ashby's Gap. This general requested that infantry might be sent to assist him, and General Meade, then commanding the Fifth Corps, gave him his First Division. The troop marched at three o'clock the morning of the 21st, reaching Middleburgh soon after daybreak. Two of the infantry brigades were left in this town, while the third, Vincent's, went on with Pleasanton. The enemy was found a little way beyond the town, mostly dismounted and partially intrenched. An action immediately ensued. In it Vincent had an opportunity to display his generalship, since, after the first command, which was merely to attack and endeavor to turn the enemy's right, till the decisive moment of the battle, he was free to do what he thought best. That the decisive moment came so soon, was due to him. Half an hour after he was ordered to begin, the enemy's right was running, and Vincent had captured one of six guns that were opposite to him. This section of Virginia is remarkable for high stone walls, which divide the land into squares almost as regular as those of a chess-board; and though the country is rather open, there are woods enough for the dark squares. The enemy made good use of these woods and walls, and so did Vincent. He had attacked in front with a crowded line of skirmishers, supported by two regiments, while to his own old regiment, the Eighty-third, he had assigned the part of knight in the game of chess. It had crept behind walls and crawled through woods till suddenly it appeared to the enemy in flank and rear, forcing them to retreat. The cavalry on the right were also successful, and a running fight was kept up for hours. The
Sever and Francis, 1866.
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