isted of nine regiments of cavalry and one battery of artillery.
That is to say there were detachments from that number of regiments.
These were distributed equally among the three divisions, as follows:
From the First division, the Third Indiana, Fourth New York and the
Seventeenth Pennsylvania; from the Second division, the First Maine, the
Fourth Pennsylvania, and Sixteenth Pennsylvania; from the First brigade,
Third division, Davies's own command, the Second New York, the Fifth New
York, and Eighteenth Pennsylvania. Ransom's regular battery was assigned
to duty with this brigade. The detachments from the First division were
all consolidated under Major Hall of the Sixth New York; those from the
Second division under Major Taylor of the First Maine. The aggregate
strength of Davies's command was 1,817 officers and men, exclusive of
the artillery. The total strength of Kilpatrick's command was about
3,500.

The expedition started after dark Sunday evening, February 28, 1864,
with three days' rations. The route selected led toward the lower fords
of the Rapidan. The advance guard consisted of 600 picked men from the
various commands, all under Colonel Ulric Dahlgren, an officer of
Meade's staff who had established a reputation for extraordinary daring
and dash. He had been especially designated from army headquarters to
accompany the expedition. Davies followed with the main body of his
brigade including Ransom's battery. To Colonel Sawyer with the Vermont
and Michigan men fell the irksome duty of bringing up the rear of the
column, the chief care being to keep up the pace, not losing sight of
those in front, of which for a good part of the night there was much
danger.

The crossing was made a little before midnight at Ely's Ford, Dahlgren
taking the confederate picket post by surprise and capturing every man.
No alarm was given. The start was thus auspicious. We were within the
enemy's lines and they were not yet aware of it.

There was no halt. The rapid march was continued throughout the night.
It was clear and cold. The order for the march was "at a fast walk," but
every experienced cavalryman knows that the letter of such an order can
be obeyed only by those in advance. The rear of the column kept closed
up with great difficulty. The sound of hoofs in front was the only guide
as to the direction to be taken. Often it was necessary to take the
trot, sometimes the gallop, and even then the leaders were at times ou