by
his judgment.

Early on the morning of May 10 the march was resumed by the Negrofoot
road toward Groundsquirrel bridge across the South Anna river. It was
even more leisurely than on the day before. Flankers were thrown out in
both directions. The long column of fours thus proceeded slowly by the
road while to the right and to the left, about 500 yards out, were
parallel columns of flankers, marching by file, thus assuring that
should the enemy attack either flank, it was only necessary to wheel by
fours in that direction to be in line of battle with a very strong line
of skirmishers well out in front.

But Stuart did not attack. He seems on that morning to have begun to
comprehend Sheridan's plan which was no doubt then sufficiently puzzling
but, as we can see now, very simple. In a word, a slow and steady march,
straight toward the confederate capital, all the time in position to
accept battle should Stuart offer it. If he should not, to hold to the
unyielding tenor of his purpose, and with exasperating persistence
continue to invite it. Stuart had turned off toward the east and was
making a forced march with Fitzhugh Lee's division, consisting of the
brigades of Lomax and Wickham, Gordan's brigade still hanging on to the
rear of Sheridan's column. Our column made the march of eighteen miles
to Groundsquirrel bridge without molestation and camped there that night
on the south side of the river. Stuart after a much longer march went
into camp at Hanover Junction. At one o'clock in the morning May 11 he
moved out toward Yellow Tavern, arriving there at about ten o'clock in
the forenoon, before Sheridan's advance, which was headed in the same
direction, made its appearance. Stuart had thus by a long and hard march
brought his command where it could interpose between the Union cavalry
and Richmond. He seems, however, to have been halting between two
opinions--whether to form squarely across Sheridan's front or to hold
his position on the flank until near enough to Richmond to be within
reach of reinforcements from the troops that were being hurried into the
city from the south to aid in the defense. He appears to have chosen
the latter alternative, for he formed his command in a line running
north and south, facing west, Wickham on the right, Lomax on the left
with batteries near both his right and left flanks. The left of his line
crossed the Telegraph road in front of Yellow Tavern where was quite an
elevated piec