forest they lay in
heaps. In the open fields they lay faces up, the scorching Southern sun
of June beating piteously down in their eyes--the blue and the grey side
by side in death as they fought hand to hand in life.

The trenches were opened and they piled the bodies in one on top of the
other, where they had fallen. They turned their faces downward, these
stalwart, brave American boys that the grave-diggers might not throw the
wet dirt into their eyes and mouths. O, aching hearts in far-away homes,
at least you were not there to see!

Both armies paused now to gird their loins for the crucial test. General
Lee was in the saddle gathering every available man into his ranks for
his opening assault on McClellan's host. Jackson was in the Shenandoah
Valley holding three armies at bay, defeating them in detail and
paralyzing the efficiency of McDowell's forty thousand men at
Fredericksburg, by the daring uncertainty of his movements.

The first act of Lee was characteristic of his genius. Wishing to know
the exact position of McClellan's forces, and with the further purpose
of striking terror into his antagonist's mind for the safety of his
lines of communication, he conceived the daring feat of sending a picked
body of cavalry under the gallant J. E. B. Stuart completely around the
Northern army of one hundred and five thousand men.

On June the 12th, Stuart with twelve hundred troopers, fighting,
singing, dare-devil riders to a man, slipped from Lee's lines and
started toward Fredericksburg. The first night he bivouacked in the
solemn pines of Hanover. At the first streak of dawn the men swung into
their saddles in silence.

Turning suddenly to the east he surprised and captured the Federal
pickets without a shot. In five minutes he confronted a squadron of
Union cavalry. With piercing rebel yell his troopers charged and
scattered their foes.

Sweeping on with swift, untiring dash they struck the York River
Railroad, which supplied McClellan's army, surprised and captured the
company of infantry which guarded Tunstall's Station, cut the wires and
attacked a train passing with troops.

Riding without pause through the moonlit night they reached the
Chickahominy at daybreak. The stream was out of its banks and could not
be forded. They built a bridge, crossed over at dawn, and the following
day leaped from their saddles before Lee's headquarters and reported.

A thrill of admiration and dismay swept the ranks of