istant times to come, and
bends down pride and worldliness before it?" The physician had said that
Elvira would not live another day, and the mother sat down to the sad
task of writing the mournful news to her soldier son. Meanwhile beyond
the Rappahannock, a scene was on the eve of being enacted, which was
destined to inflict upon her a pain as poignant as that she was, now
about to bestow.

The night of October eighteenth was passed by Kilpatrick's command at
Gainesville, but the first faint streak of dawn saw him and his faithful
followers in the saddle, booted, spurred, and equipped for some
enterprise as yet unexplained to them, but evidently, in their leader's
estimation, one of "pith and moment." At the word of command, the force,
including the "Harris Light," moved forward at a quick trot, taking the
road to Warrenton, and anticipating a brush with Stuart's cavalry who,
during the previous ten hours, had thrown out videttes in their
immediate front.

The surprise of the Federals was great to find their advance unimpeded,
and that, instead of offering opposition, the Confederates fell back as
rapidly as their opponents approached. On they dashed, unopposed and
unobstructed, until Buckland Mills was reached. At this point they found
themselves checked, and in a manner that somewhat astounded them. As
they arrived within a stone's throw of that village, Fitzhugh Lee, with
his magnificent following, struck their flank. That astute and valiant
officer, it appears, had cut his way through the Federal infantry at
Thoroughfare-Gap, and accompanied by a battery of flying artillery,
swept down upon Kilpatrick, designing to crush him at a blow. General
Stuart, taking in the situation, and keenly anxious to profit by the
advantage thus afforded him, instantly turned upon and charged the
Federals in his front, while, as if to make their utter annihilation a
certainty, the rebel General Gordon, with a third body of men (his
proximity at that moment not being suspected), bore down fiercely on
their left, threatening to cut Kilpatrick's division in two.

Kilpatrick possessed an extraordinary amount of ingenuity in devising
means of escape from a dangerous position. In the present case his plan
was formed in an instant, and executed as soon as formed. He immediately
changed his front, and, without the slightest hesitation, headed a mad
and desperate charge upon Fitzhugh Lee's advancing column. The merit of
the movement lay in