"youngsters" who received their stars in June, 1863. He was graduated
from the West Point military academy in 1860, at the age of twenty-four,
and made such rapid progress in rank and reputation that he was a
brigadier at twenty-seven. As a cavalry commander he was trained by John
Buford. The latter was rightly called, "Old Reliable," not because of
his age, but for the reason that he rarely if ever failed to be in the
right place at the right moment--solid rather than showy, not
spectacular but sure. His courage and ability were both conspicuous. He
belonged to the school of officers of which Thomas, Meade, Sedgwick and
Gregg were exemplars, rather than to that of which Kearney, Sheridan and
Custer were preeminent types.

Such also was Merritt, an apt pupil of an illustrious teacher, the
lineal successor of Buford. He came by natural selection to be commander
of the First division, and at the last was chief of cavalry of the army
of the Potomac, the capable successor of Pleasonton and Sheridan, a
position for which he was peculiarly fitted by nature, by acquirements,
and by experience. Modesty which fitted him like a garment, charming
manners, the demeanor of a gentleman, cool but fearless bearing in
action, were his distinguishing characteristics. He was a most excellent
officer, between whom and Custer there was, it seemed, a great deal of
generous rivalry. But, in the association of the two in the same command
there was strength, for each was in a sort the complement of the other.
Unlike in temperament, in appearance, and in their style of fighting,
they were at one in the essentials that go to make a successful career.

But, to return to the point in the narrative from whence this digression
strayed, the force that was thus assembled in Stevensburg, somewhat
against the protests, but in compliance with orders from army and corps
headquarters, was brought together with much show of secrecy, albeit the
secret was an open one. As has been seen, the rumor of the projected
movement had been for some time flying about from ear to ear, and from
camp to camp. Its flight, however, must have been with heavy pinions,
for it did not extend beyond the river, where the confederates were
resting in fancied security, innocent of the hatching of a plot for
sudden mischief to their capital.

The composition of the Second brigade has already been given. Its
numerical strength was about 1,800 officers and men. The First brigade
cons