be of very
doubtful advantage to the lad as long as he remained in the South.

The next morning the necessary papers were drawn up, and the ownership
of Dan was formally transferred to Vincent. Dan was wild with delight
when he heard that Vincent was now his master, and that he was to
accompany him to the war. It had been known two days before that Vincent
was going, and it seemed quite shocking to the negroes that the young
master should go as a private soldier, and have to do everything for
himself--"just," as they said, "like de poor white trash"; for the
slaves were proud to belong to an old family, and looked down with
almost contempt upon the poorer class of whites, regarding their own
position as infinitely superior.

Four days later Vincent received an official letter saying that the
corps would be mustered in two days' time. The next day was spent in a
long round of farewell visits, and then Vincent mounted Wildfire, and,
with Dan trotting behind, rode off from the Orangery amidst a chorus of
blessings and good wishes from all the slaves who could on any pretext
get away from their duties, and who had assembled in front of the house
to see him start.

The place of meeting for the regiment was at Hanover Courthouse--a
station on the Richmond and Fredericksburg Railway, close to the Pamunky
River, about eighteen miles from the city.

The Orangery was a mile from the village of Gaines, which lay to the
northeast of Richmond, and was some twelve miles from Hanover
Courthouse.

A month was spent in drill, and at the end of that time the corps were
able to execute any simple maneuver. More than this Major Ashley did
not care about their learning. The work in which they were about to
engage was that of scouts rather than that of regular cavalry, and the
requirements were vigilance and attention to orders, good shooting, and
a quick eye. Off duty there was but little discipline. Almost the whole
of the men were in a good position in life, and many of them very
wealthy; and while strict discipline and obedience were expected while
on duty, at all other times something like equality existed between
officers and men, and all were free to live as they chose.

The rations served out were simple and often scanty, for at present the
various departments were not properly organized, and such numbers of men
were flocking to the standards that the authorities were at their wits'
end to provide them with even the simplest f