A wild cheer broke from the Confederates as some of their men rushed across the ford to place a piece of artillery at the top of the steep bank on the Virginia side of the Potomac. Another gun was hurried forward and placed so as to sweep the tow-path and the approaches to the ford, While the long line of cavalrymen and captured horses passed rapidly across to safety. Once more Stuart had slipped through the hands of his enemy. In the meanwhile, Pelham held the Federals in check until all but the rear guard under Colonel Butler had passed. Then he began to withdraw, making his last stand on the Maryland side of the ford, where he fired up and down the river at the Federal cavalry now advancing in both directions. But the rear guard was still far behind. Major McClellan tells us that General Stuart had sent back four couriers to hurry up Colonel Butler; still he did not come. In this dilemma, Captain Blackford volunteered to find him. Stuart paused a moment and then extending his hand said, “All right! and if we do not meet again, good-by, old fellow.” Blackford galloped off and found Butler with his own regiment and the North Carolina detachment and one gun, engaged in delaying the advance of the enemy in the Poolesville road. Blackford rode rapidly toward him and shouted, “General Stuart says, ‘Withdraw at a gallop, or you will be cut off.’” “But,” replied Butler, with great coolness, “I don’t think I can bring off that gun. The horses can’t move it.” “Leave the gun and save your men!” replied Blackford. “Well, we’ll see what can be done,” said Butler, and then he ordered the drivers to make one more effort. That time they were successful. The weary horses pulled the wheels out of the mudhole and the gun went rattling down the road, followed by the tardy but gallant rear guard. The Federal cavalry and artillery were following and infantry was approaching in two directions; but the rear guard slipped through the net, dashed rapidly across the ford, and soon was safe in Virginia. The joy of the men and their commander at the success of their expedition was unbounded. The Federals were near enough to hear the Confederate cheers that greeted General Stuart as he rode along his lines on the Virginia side. In the official report of the expedition, Stuart claimed no personal credit, but closed the report by saying, “Believing that the hand of God was clearly manifested in the deliverance of my command from danger and the crowning success attending it, I ascribe to him the praise, the honor, and the glory.” The march of the Confederate cavalry from Chambersburg is one of the most remarkable in history. In thirty-six hours, the Confederates rode ninety miles, going completely around the Union army. They carried off hundreds of horses, and recrossed the Potomac in the presence of vastly superior forces of the Federals. Only one man was wounded and two stragglers were captured.