. Gen. Robert Edward Lee; soldier, citizen, and Christian patriot. convenient sea-port between Norfolk andNew Orleans. Our picnicwas somewhat impeded bya large body of Confeder-ate troops, which com-pelled us to make a longdetour to the left. Nightfell, finding us, after atwenty-five mile march,at Dinwiddle CourtHouse, about twelve milesby the direct road fromour point of we went into biv-ouac in a driving rain,the pine boughs for ourmattress and sheets ofwater for our headquarters, morefortunate than the divi-sion staff to which I be- general v. s. grant. longed,
. Gen. Robert Edward Lee; soldier, citizen, and Christian patriot. convenient sea-port between Norfolk andNew Orleans. Our picnicwas somewhat impeded bya large body of Confeder-ate troops, which com-pelled us to make a longdetour to the left. Nightfell, finding us, after atwenty-five mile march,at Dinwiddle CourtHouse, about twelve milesby the direct road fromour point of we went into biv-ouac in a driving rain,the pine boughs for ourmattress and sheets ofwater for our headquarters, morefortunate than the divi-sion staff to which I be- general v. s. grant. longed, had found shelter From the Government negative. in the hospitable mansion of Widow Crump, and there, in companywith the venerable widow and her diplomatically agreeable daughters,we sang Confederate songs to the accompaniment of a good pianountil warned to repair to our respective and most cheerlesi under such circumstances was not seductive, and atearly dawn we were in the saddle and ready to follow our gallant. 314 GENERAL ROBERT EDWARD LEE, leader, Phil Sheridan, in whom every man, from the highest officerto the least conspicuous private, had implicit confidence. The com-mand was composed wholly of cavalry, about nine thousand in all,with General Wesley Merritt commanding the first and third divi-sions. General Thomas C. Devin and General Custer as divisioncommanders, and the second division under General Crook. Thebrigade commanders were scarcely less famous, for there wereGeneral Gibbes of the Reserves (mostly regulars). Colonels Stagg,Fitzhugh, Davies, Irvine, Gregg, Smith, Pennington, Wells andCapehart. We understood that the object of this movement was tobring the Confederates out of their intrenchments if we could, andif we failed, then to go on a raid and do all the damage possibleto the enemys communications. Happily, the Confederates tookthe hint and came out. It would take too much space to detailthe movements of this and the two succeeding days
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