CHAPTER XV.
WHEN the spring campaign opened, the North Carolina cavalry brigade, commanded by Gen. James B. Gordon, was transferred from Hampton’s to W. H. F. Lee’s division, and, a little later., Colonel Baker’s Third North Carolina cavalry took the place of the Fourth North Carolina in that brigade.
At the opening of Grant’s campaign, the First North Carolina was on picket duty along the Rapidan, and Colonel Cheek and Major Cowles were of signal service in reporting hostile movements. This regiment captured over 400 prisoners in a short time. When Sheridan, with a force estimated at from 10,000 to 12,000 men, started on his Richmond raid, General Stuart had only three available brigades for detachment to meet this formidable cavalcade. Taking Wickham’s and Lomax’s brigades under his personal command, General Stuart sought, by forced marches, to interpose between Sheridan and Richmond. He left Gordon s North Carolina brigade to retire before Sheridan, and harass him as much as such a pitifully inadequate number could harass so great a force as Sheridan commanded. Gordon’s unflinching horsemen were involved in almost daily skirmishes with the Federals, and daily lost men he could ill spare from his thinning ranks. Among these was the
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