side. He was then but two months
past twenty-four years of age, though he had already achieved fame as a
cavalry officer and general of brigade. He was the youngest officer of
his rank who won any great measure of success. Kilpatrick was more than
three years his senior, although both were graduated from West Point in
1861.

Some time after the beginning of the year 1864, there began to be rumors
of some daring expedition that was on foot, to be led by the dashing
general commanding the division. It was about the middle of February,
when a number of statesmen of national prominence came to Stevensburg,
and it did not take a prophet to tell that something of unusual
importance was in the wind, though nothing very definite leaked out as
to what it was. Among the visitors referred to, were Senators Chandler
("Zach."), of Michigan, and Wilkinson, of Minnesota. During their stay,
there was a meeting in a public hall in Culpeper at which speeches were
made by both these gentlemen and where General Kilpatrick demonstrated
that he was no less an orator than a fighter. His speech was the gem of
the evening and stirred up no end of enthusiasm. Hints were thrown out
of an indefinite something that was going to happen. It is now known, as
it was soon thereafter, that Kilpatrick had devised a daring scheme for
the capture of Richmond, which had been received with so much favor by
the authorities in Washington, that he was then awaiting only the
necessary authority from the war department before setting out on what
proved to be an ill-fated expedition.

Late in the month, permission was given and he proceeded to organize a
force of picked men and horses, selected with great care from the
various regiments. The Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Michigan and First
Vermont were represented, the Sixth furnishing about three hundred men.
The First Michigan had just re-enlisted at the expiration of its three
years' term of service and was absent on "veteran furlough," so did not
take part, as the officers and men of that fine regiment would have been
only too glad to do, had they been given the opportunity. It was a small
division, divided into two brigades. General Davies led one of them, but
General Custer was taken away and entrusted with the command of an
important diversion designed to attract the attention of the enemy by an
attack on his left flank, while Kilpatrick passed around his right and
by a quick march reached the confederate capita