Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 3.
Henry Coppee , LL.D., Ed.

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[527] his indiscreet zeal, had put it out of his power to render the same service to his chief. It has been stated that Meade wished Pleasonton to undertake an expedition of the same character, and that the latter had pointed out its dangers: if such was the case, he had no great difficulty in persuading him. His real merit consisted in handling his cavalry during the few days intervening between the passage of the Potomac and the close of the battle of Gettysburg with a degree of skill, foresight, and decision which contributed largely to the victory of the Federals.

Whilst Gregg was bearing to the right, and Kilpatrick performing the double task of keeping Stuart at the east and clearing the advance, Pleasonton had placed Buford's division on his left. It was the strongest of the three, and its chief, a thorough soldier, justly inspired it with entire confidence. Kilpatrick, as we have stated, after having pushed rapidly as far as Littlestown on the 29th, had on the 30th remained at Hanover, the scene of the bloody combat he had fought with Stuart. Buford, on his part, after having sent General Merritt, with his new command (the regular cavalry brigade) to watch the outlet of the Hagerstown road in the valley of the Monocacy at Mechanicstown, made a bold dash along the western slope of South Mountain in order to ascertain if the enemy had lingered on the borders of the Antietam on the left flank of the Army of the Potomac. Leaving Middletown¹ at daybreak on the 29th, and descending toward Boonesboroa, he followed the range of the mountains in a northerly direction as far as Waynesboroa, and, crossing them again at the Monterey defile without having encountered the enemy, halted at Fountain Dale, situated halfway. It was scarcely dark when this vigilant chief perceived in the distance, along the Fairfield road, the bivouac-fires of a hostile body of troops, probably Davis' brigade of Heth's division. Before daylight on the 30th he bore down upon Fairfield for the purpose of attacking it, but after a few shots he became convinced that he could not accomplish his object without artillery; and while the enemy was falling back toward the north, Buford, not daring to engage in an artillery-fight whose echoes might arouse the Confederate