At once there was a fierce uproar, and Isabey ended the brief but painful scene by rising and saying with some agitation: “I have no apology to make for resenting a shocking charge against an innocent and defenseless woman. I believe it has never yet been known that any man in Virginia was ever called to account for defending the name and fame of a woman.” With that Isabey left the mess tent. The ranking officer at once administered a stern rebuke to the young lieutenant and forbade that he should demand the satisfaction, common enough in those days, from Isabey for his act. Nevertheless, when the matter had been arranged, the officers exchanged significant glances which said: “It won’t do to speak of it, but--” and that “but” meant that it was believed Angela Tremaine was playing the spy. Isabey felt this and his soul was wrung by it. With only thirty-five miles between the two great opposing forces, each side began to throw out feelers before the actual shock of arms commenced. The Federals made raids and reconnoissances through the country at unexpected times. Incidentally, the farmsteads and estates were swept clear of horses, mules, cattle, and sheep, and the houses were searched for Confederate soldiers. This last was done rather in the nature of a warning than in expectation of making any captures. Occasionally private soldiers, who had got leave on various pretexts and slipped home for a few hours, were picked up by the Federals; but the Confederates were wary and no important captures were made. Small Federal gunboats ventured up the broad, salt, shallow rivers which made in from the seas and intersected the low-lying, fertile country. But these expeditions, like those by land, were rather for investigation and warning than of a punitive nature. It might be supposed that these raids by land and water were alarming to the women and children left alone in their homes while their husbands, sons, and brothers were in the Confederate army. On the contrary, the Virginia ladies appear to have struck terror to the hearts of the Northern officers, who, however bold their stand might be against the Confederate soldiers, were pretty sure to beat a quick retreat before the sharp language and indignant glances of the Virginia ladies. Mrs. Charteris, when waked in the middle of the night by a horde of Federal soldiers around her house and a fierce pounding at the hall door, rose and, arraying herself in her dressing gown and with a candle in her hand, went down surrounded by her excited servants, and opened the hall door herself. There stood a Federal officer, who politely desired her not to be alarmed, as he had merely come to search the place for a Confederate officer supposed to be in hiding there.