s course. He resolved at once to consecrate himself and his
sword to the sacred duty of defending her homes and firesides.

Having raised a company of cavalry, he was made its captain, and was
rapidly promoted from rank to rank until he reached that of
major-general. Soon after his entry into the Confederate service he
became associated with the command of Gen. J.E.B. Stuart, and
participated thereafter in nearly all the movements of that fearless and
dashing leader, whom the brave Gen. Sedgwick, of the United States Army,
pronounced "the best cavalry officer ever foaled in North America." On
June 3, 1862, Gen. Robert E. Lee, the father of my deceased colleague,
assumed the command of the Army of Northern Virginia three days after
the retiracy of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, caused by a wound received in
the battle of Seven Pines.

The plans of the Federal commander for the capture of the capital of the
Southern Confederacy had been well chosen. His army, according to his
own report, numbered 156,000, of whom 115,000 were ready for duty as
fighting men. All the vast resources of his Government were being
employed to enable him to prosecute his campaign with efficiency and
vigor. His troops had been furnished with artillery and small arms of
the most approved description and best pattern. They had abundance of
ammunition of the finest quality and ample supplies of food and
clothing. Gen. McDowell, then at Fredericksburg with 40,000 men, and
Gens. Banks and Fremont in the valley of Virginia, were expected to
cooeperate in the movement. A line of fire was slowly but steadily being
drawn around Richmond. These plans, as I have said, had been well
conceived and were being executed with great precision and skill.

To oppose this formidable advance there were less than 100,000 fighting
men in Virginia, and they were greatly inferior to the enemy in both
equipments and supplies. Gen. Johnston, penetrating the designs of his
adversary, commenced operations to prevent their accomplishment. The
bloody and stubbornly contested battle of Seven Pines was fought in part
execution of his plans. When Gen. Robert E. Lee succeeded to the
command it was apparent that some decisive blow must be struck to save
the Southern capital from a state of siege. Surveying the whole field
with a keen and practiced eye, he saw that the left wing of the Union
army, which had been thrown across the Chickahominy and advanced to
within four or five miles of