Fitzhugh Lee, General Lee

[153] cup of strong coffee. Duty was his guiding star. Once when on the eve of an expected battle he was telegraphed that his child was dying and urged to go to her, he replied: “I shall have to leave my child in the hands of God; my duty requires me here.” Lee knew him well. He had been a classmate at the United States Military Academy of his eldest son, and was his aid-decamp when John Brown was captured. Such was the man who stood before his commander on June 11, 1862, to receive his instructions. The next morning, at an early hour, Stuart was in the saddle, and, with twelve hundred cavalry and a section of artillery, started to blaze the way for Stonewall Jackson's descent on the right rear of the Federal army, and for an assault on the Federal right by the left wing of the Confederate army. That night he went into camp twenty-two miles north of Richmond. His line of march conveyed the impression that he had been sent to re-enforce Jackson in the Valley, but the next day the head of his column was turned eastward toward Hanover Court House, which he reached about nine o'clock, driving out a body of the enemy's cavalry. Between that point and Old Church his advance squadron, under Captain Latane, met and charged a squadron of regular cavalry under Captain Royall. Latane was killed, and Royall severely wounded by a saber cut and his squadron put to flight. The Southern cavalry now followed rapidly to Old Church, where the Federal cavalry made another stand, but was soon driven from its position. Stuart was now far enough on the right flank of the Federal army to get all the information he desired. He could return only by the way he had marched, which would be attended with much danger, as the troops on that flank were thoroughly roused, or make the entire circuit of the Federal army. He determined upon the latter course, and, in defiance of many dangers and difficulties, succeeded in moving his whole command not only around the right of Mc-Clellan's line of battle, but along his rear and around his left, bringing it in safety to the Richmond lines. It was hazardous, because any prolongation of McClellan's left from White Oak swamp to James River would have cut him off from his own army.