[512] latter lost not a single moment in taking advantage of it. He left about four thousand cavalry with Generals Robertson and Jones, with the charge of watching the Blue Ridge and the front of the enemy's army: then, without paying the least attention to Longstreet's directions, who had requested him to remain within his reach, he set off during the night of the 24th with the brigades of Fitzhugh Lee and W. H. F. Lee, commanded by Colonels Munford and Chambliss, together with Hampton's brigade. The troopers carried three days rations for themselves and one day's forage for the horses: six guns and a few ambulances were the only vehicles that accompanied the division. In coming out of Salem, where the latter had assembled, Stuart, who headed the column in person, took the northern route; then, darting suddenly across the fields, he struck the eastern route and reached one of the mountain-passes south of Thoroughfare Gap, called Glascock's Gap. Turning north-eastward, he proceeded toward Haymarket. But here commenced the difficulties he had not foreseen. Before reaching Haymarket he found a whole Federal army corps on the march along the road he had proposed to follow. It was the Second, on its way from Thoroughfare Gap to Gum Springs to relieve the Third, on the march toward Maryland. Stuart, placing his artillery in position, had the satisfaction of cannonading the column and of throwing considerable disorder into the ranks; but he did it no harm, and to disguise his movement he was obliged to make a large circuit southward. His horses having but little to eat, he had to halt and let them graze. A single brigade pushed on as far as Gainesville. Centreville was occupied: the whole section of country which separated this point from the front of the enemy's army was overrun by columns of troops which he might meet at any moment. The plan he had formed could not therefore be carried out: if he had relinquished it and retraced his steps, he would have returned in time to discover the passage of the Federals into Maryland, apprise Lee of the fact, and join Early in Pennsylvania. He persisted in his project, and, not being able to effect a passage west of Centreville, determined to force his way at the east. Delayed by the necessity of letting his horses graze again, he was unable to get beyond the Occoquan, which
