ble. The chapters have been written in intervals of leisure
during a period of more than twenty years. The one on Cedar Creek
appeared first in 1886; the Gettysburg campaign in 1889; Brandy Station,
Kilpatrick's Richmond expedition, the Yellow Tavern campaign, Buckland
Mills, Hanovertown and Haw's Shop, The Trevilian Raid and some other
portions have been prepared during the current year--1908. While memory
has been the principal guide, the strict historical truth has been
sought and, when there appeared to be a reasonable doubt, the official
records have been consulted, and the writings of others freely drawn
upon to verify these "recollections."

The Memoirs of P.H. Sheridan and H.B. McClellan's Campaigns of Stuart's
Cavalry have been of especial value in this respect; the latter helping
to give both sides of the picture, particularly in the accounts of the
battles of Buckland Mills and Yellow Tavern. Wade Hampton's official
reports were put to similar use in describing the battle of Trevilian
Station.

So far as mention is made of individual officers and men there is no
pretense that the list is complete. Those whose names appear in the text
were selected as types. Hundreds of others were equally deserving. The
same remark applies to the portraits. These are representative faces.
The list could be extended indefinitely.

It was intended to include in an appendix a full roster of all the men
who served in the Sixth Michigan cavalry and in the other regiments as
well; but this would have made the book too bulky. By applying to the
adjutant general of Michigan the books published by the state giving the
record of every man who served in either of the regiments in the brigade
can be obtained.

The Roll of Honor--a list of all those who were killed in action, or who
died of wounds received in action--is as complete as it was possible to
make it from the official records. In a very few cases, men who were
reported "missing in action," and of whom no further record could be
found, were assumed to have belonged in the list, but these are not
numerous enough to materially affect the totals.

For the rest, the author cannot claim that he has done justice to either
of these organizations, but he has made an honest effort to be fair and
impartial, to tell the truth as he saw it, without prejudice. How well
he has succeeded is not for him to say. "It is an interesting story,"
said an officer who served with distinction in th