Produced by Chris Curnow, Barbara Kosker, Joseph Cooper and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net THREE YEARS IN THE FEDERAL CAVALRY. [Illustration: Willard Glazier] THREE YEARS in the FEDERAL CAVALRY. BY WILLARD GLAZIER, AUTHOR OF "THE CAPTURE, THE PRISON-PEN AND THE ESCAPE," "VIRGINIA'S BATTLE-FIELDS," ETC., ETC., ETC. Illustrated. NEW YORK: R. H. FERGUSON & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS, 138 BLEECKER STREET 1870. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, by _WILLARD GLAZIER_, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. The Trow & Smith Book Manuf. Co. 205-213 E. 12TH STREET, New York. TO THE GALLANT AND UNASSUMING SOLDIER, MAJOR-GENERAL HENRY E. DAVIES, JR. WHOSE STAR ALWAYS SHONE BRIGHTEST ON THE FRONT LINE OF BATTLE, THIS VOLUME IS RESPECTFULLY dedicated BY THE AUTHOR. PREFACE. I have for a long time intended the publication of this book, for I thought that such a work would not only be found interesting to the public, but would do justice to the brave men with whom it was my fortune to be associated during the dark hours of the rebellion. To serve them is and ever will be my greatest pleasure. The remarkable features and events of our late Cavalry movements in Virginia and elsewhere, visible to me during the campaigns of the Army of the Potomac, were noted daily in my journal. From that diary this story of our raids, expeditions, and fights is compiled. My descriptions of battles and skirmishes, in some cases, may seem too brief and unsatisfactory; to which I can only say that scores of engagements, which to the participants appear to be of vast importance, have very little general interest. On the other hand, however, it is to be regretted that where our gallant horsemen have done the most brilliant things, it has been impossible for me, in many instances, to secure reliable and detailed accounts with which to do them full justice. WILLARD GLAZIER. NEW YORK, _October 8th, 1870_. CONTENTS. PAGE CHAPTER I. THE WAR FOR THE UNION.--CONTEST BEGUN. 1861.--Enthusiasm of the North.--Washington Threatened.--Bull Run, and Its Lessons.--General Scott and the Cavalry.--Enlistment under Captain Buel.--The Harris Light Cavalry.--Leaving Troy, New York.--Captain A. N. Duffie.--Drilling and Fencing at Scarsdale, New York.--Bound for the Seat of War.--Philadelphia. --Baltimore.--Washington.--Camp Oregon. 19 CHAPTER II. CAMP-LIFE AND ITS INFLUENCES. 1861.--Our unmilitary Appearance.--First Equipage.--My Black Mare.--Good and Evil Influences.--News-Boys.--Mail-Bag.-- Letter-Writing.--The Bugle Corps.--Camp-Guard.--Guerillas under Turner Ashby.--Mounted Drill.--Laughable Experiences with Horses.--Southern Egotism.--Northern Fancies. 27 CHAPTER III.