The Maine bugle ... campaign; 1-5 Jan. 1894-Oct. 1898 - Maine.gov

208 THE MAINE BUGLE.
followed Stoncman's column as far as the hills overlooking the
White House, whence they retraced their steps to pursue
McClcllan across the Chickahoiiiiny ; but the credit to the
cavalry would have been greater if this result had been
designed.
In the Maryland campaign General Pleasonton had a couple
of good brigades, and was energetic and successful in pushing
after the enemy toward the Antietam ;
but during the great
battle nothing aggressive was attempted by his cavalry, unless
it was the gallop across the bridge on the Sharpsburg Pike,
under a galling artillery fire, and driving away the enemy's
guns. After that was done, the troopers went into position
along the creek, and sat upon their horses, under shelter
of some rising ground, until the sun went down, all kinds
of missiles humming over them all day almost harmlessly.
After the battle, the scattering process was again resorted to,
and Stuart was again tempted to try a raid round our arm)'.
It is true that he accomplished very little besides the ruin of his
own horses. He was like the wind on a frolic, which did great
damage to "old women's bonnets and ginger-bread stalls," but
he did not much affect the prospects of the war, and did not
drive the Northern army from the field. The ignominy, how-
ever, was none the less on this account when we discovered
that no cavalry could be concentrated to intercept him.
On the whole, though, the mounted troops must have raised
themselves a peg in this campaign, for we find General McClellan
unable to move across the Potomac for want of them ;
and it is
a fact that they were in a very bad way just then, b}' reason
of a terrible disease of the hoof, which affected the horses
a disease brought about by bad feed, turnpike dust, overheating,
and many other causes, perhaps guessed at by everybod}' ;
the malady was remedied by none until it had run its course.
but
After crossing the Potomac, the cavalry, under Generals
Pleasonton and Avercll, took the advance very creditably,
alwaj's cncount(Ming the enemy's cavalr)' successful!)-, and
never calling upon our infantry for support.