XVIII
_A BRUSH AT THE FRONT_
A situation which might have become embarrassing, had it been prolonged,was relieved at that moment by the arrival of a courier who had come inhot haste with messages from the front.
The enemy was moving upon Fairfax Court-house in three columns and instrong force. The light of battle came into Stuart's eyes as he receivedthe news, and he issued hurried orders to his staff-officers as oneafter another they came up at a gallop. To Agatha he said:
"Remain here, you and the other ladies, unless orders come for you toleave. I must borrow Captain Pegram from your service for a time, if Imay."
"Gladly!" answered the girl, and her tone sorely puzzled Baillie Pegram.But there was no time for speculation upon its meaning, for Stuartturned to him and ordered:
"Take your battery down the Vienna road, and act with Fitz Lee orwhomever else you find there. Move rapidly, but spare your horses allyou can."
Then hurriedly turning to the couriers and staff-officers who stood bytheir horses, he issued orders with the rapidity of one who recites thealphabet or the multiplication table. Within the space of two minutes hehad assigned every brigade and regiment under his command to its postand duty, and had sent to General Johnston at Centreville a request thatinfantry supports might be moved forward and held within call in case ofneed. A minute later he was a-gallop for the front.
Baillie had preceded him, and even before the general had reachedFairfax Court-house, Pegram's battery was hurrying down the Vienna road,with the First and Fourth Regiments of Virginia cavalry just in front.It was the work of a very few moments to form these forces and othersthat were coming up, into a line of battle, facing the enemy, but by thetime they were in position, Stuart himself came up and took command.
"Tell Captain Pegram," he said to a staff-officer, "to advance hisbattery to the brow of the hill yonder, and open a vigorous fire uponwhatever he finds in front. Order Colonel Jones of the First Regiment totake position immediately in rear of the battery, and support it at allhazards."
Within less time than it takes to write the words, Baillie Pegram's gunswere hurling shrapnel into the face of the enemy, whose response wasmenacingly slow and deliberate.
"That looks," said Stuart, presently, to one who rode by his side, "asif they meant business this time. Send orders to the infantry in rear toform a second line, and be ready in case we are beaten back."
It should be explained that during the autumn of 1861 McClellan sent outmany expeditions, each wearing the aspect of an advance in force againstthe Confederate position at Centreville. These movements were in realityintended as threats, and nothing more. The chief purpose of them was tokeep the Confederates uneasy, and at the same time to accustom theFederal volunteers to stand fire and to contemplate battle in earnest asthe serious business of the soldier.
These advances were made always with a brave show of infantry, cavalry,and artillery, and with all the seeming of the vanguard of an armyintending battle. But after a heavy skirmish the columns were alwayswithdrawn, leaving only picket-lines at the front. McClellan was not yetready to offer battle. It was during that period that President Lincoln,weary of McClellan's delay and inactivity, sarcastically said that ifthe general had no use for the army, he (Lincoln) would like to borrowit for awhile.
But this day's movement differed in some respects from those that hadgone before. It involved a much heavier force, for one thing, and theproportion of artillery to the other arms was greater. Still moresignificant was the fact that the commander of the expedition, insteadof making the customary dash, threw forward a heavy skirmish-line,holding his main body in reserve, and otherwise conducting himself afterthe fashion of a general sent to hold the front with as little fightingas might be, until a much heavier force could be brought up.
It was Stuart's duty, as the commander of the cavalry, to find out asquickly as possible what lay behind the lines that confronted him, inorder that he might know and report precisely what and how much themovement meant. To that end he sent for Colonel Jones, of the FirstRegiment, and when that most unmilitary-looking of hard fighterspresented himself in his faded yellow coat, the pot hat which he alwayswore at that time, and with his peculiar nasal drawl, Stuart gave theorder:
"Take your right company and ride to the right around the flank of theenemy's line. Find out what it amounts to. See if there are baggage andammunition trains in rear, and if they mean business. The whole thing isprobably as hollow as a gourd, but it may be otherwise. Go and findout."
In the meantime, Stuart had dismounted a part of his forces, and orderedthem with their carbines to form a skirmish-line on foot in front. Therest of his men--three thousand stalwart young cavaliers, mounted uponhorses that had pedigrees behind them--were drawn up in double rankswherever there was space for a regiment, a company, or a squad of themto stand.
Then came half an hour of waiting. The enemy had thrown additionalinfantry forward, and the skirmishing grew steadily heavier, as if theFederal skirmish-line were being reinforced from moment to moment.
In fact, that heavy advance-line embraced all there was of the Federalmovement, as Colonel Jones discovered, when with a single company ofhorsemen he gained the enemy's rear. There were no baggage or provisionor ammunition trains to indicate a serious purpose of giving battle.
The captain of the company which Colonel Jones had taken with him onthis mission of discovery, was a reticent person, but a man of quickwits, ready resource, and a daring that always had a relish of humour init. When Colonel Jones suggested a return march around the enemy's leftflank, the captain asked:
"Why not take a short cut?" and when asked for his meaning, answered:
"It's an egg-shell, that line. The quickest way of letting Stuart knowthe fact, it seems to me, would be to break through right here. He won'tbe long in getting to windward of the situation when he sees us coming."
The suggestion was instantly acted upon, with a startling dramaticresult. With a yell that made them seem a regiment of howling demons,the fifty or sixty men charged upon the rear of the line and brokethrough it. Even before the head of their little column showed itself onthe farther side, their yells had made sufficient report of the facts tothe alert mind of Jeb Stuart. He instantly led his entire force forwardto the charge.
There was a clatter of hoofs, a clangour of sabres, a rattle of smallarms, and a roar from Baillie Pegram's guns. Everything was shrouded inan impenetrable cloud of dust and powder-smoke.
The enemy stood fast for a time, resisting obstinately and fairlychecking the tremendous onset. It was not until a brigade of infantryand three full batteries had been brought into action that the Federalsgave way. Even then, they retreated in orderly fashion, with nosuggestion of panic or loss of cohesion.
"George B. McClellan has at last got his army into fighting shape,"commented Stuart, when all was over. "He's going to give us trouble fromthis time forth."
The Federals were in full retreat, but their steadiness did notencourage Stuart to send small forces in pursuit. He contented himselfwith advancing his line half a mile for purposes of observation, afterwhich, as the night was falling, he ordered a general return of hisregiments to their encampments.
When all was over, there were found to be many empty saddles in Stuart'scommand. Among them was that which Baillie Pegram had ridden during themorning's journey with Agatha Ronald.