deserting. The country would not stand it; it ought not to stand it. It would be barbarous. We must change the condition of things in some other way."

They were plain words. General McClellan had talked about strategy and strategic movements, and the people somehow thought that by some great, brilliant movement-by getting on the flank or the rear of the Confederate army-General Lee might be manoeuvred out of Fredericksburg, and finally out of Richmond, and that would be the end of the rebellion. President Lincoln knew better. General Hooker saw that the first thing to be done was to cure the homesickness. The surgeons and physicians had no medicine in their chests to cure the disease. A sight of home, a look into the faces of loved ones, a clasp of the hand, the kiss, the welcome of father, mother, wife, or sister was the only medicine.

Although so many were absent, the first order which General Hooker issued provided that one brigade commander, one field-officer, two lineofficers of a regiment, and two men out of every hundred might be absent at one time, not exceeding ten days to the near States and fifteen days for States farther away.

"You have ruined the army. They will go from Dan to Beersheba. You never will get them back again," was the despatch telegraphed by President Lincoln when he heard of it.

"Let me try it for three weeks," replied General Hooker.

The President consented. The soldiers were informed that if they did not return on the day fixed they would be court-martialed. If they did not return, their regiment could have no more furloughs. It touched their honor. If they did not return, none of their comrades could go home. Officers had been running up to Washington. The hotels were full of those who ought to have been at Falmouth.

"Officers visiting Washington without permission will be dismissed the service," was the order of the War Department.

During the bright winter days the soldiers went through their drills and manœuvres. The bands played stirring tunes. The inspector kept close watch of their arms and equipments and clothing. The surgeons were careful of the health of the army. The men on furlough returned with bright faces. Stragglers were brought back to their regiments. The army, instead of dwindling, became larger day by day. Homesickness disappeared. Wherever General Hooker rode he was welcomed with a cheer.

Stragglers in an army, when asked what division, brigade, or regiment they belonged to, usually gave a false answer. To correct the evil Gen

eral Hooker devised a system of badges by which stragglers could be detected, and which enabled soldiers when on the march or in the battle to see where their brigade, division, and corps were. The division badges were red for the First Division, white for the Second, blue for the Third. The badge of the First Corps was a sphere; of the Second, a clover-leaf; the Third, a lozenge; Fifth, a Maltese cross; Sixth, a cross; Eleventh, a crescent; Twelfth, a star. It was a device of much value, for a great army when on the march becomes more or less confused. Before their adoption, soldiers who dropped out of the line had great difficulty in finding their regiments; but with badges on coats, flags, and wagons, every soldier could soon find his regiment.

The cavalry of the Army of the Potomac had been of little account. General Hooker saw, and the Government saw, that the cavalry must be increased; that men on horseback are the "eyes of the army," seeing what the enemy is doing or about to do. New regiments were organized, the horses exercised, and the men drilled.

General Averill, commanding a division, was encamped at Hartwood Church. There came a day when Fitz-Hugh Lee, commanding a Confederate division of cavalry, appeared suddenly north of the river and fell upon the Third Pennsylvania Cavalry, which was out on picket-General Averill's own regiment. In the skirmish eighty Union men were killed, wounded, and taken prisoners, while of the Confederates twenty were killed and wounded, and forty prisoners taken. The two commanders had been classmates at West Point. When the Confederates retreated Fitz-Hugh Lee left a surgeon with his wounded and a note to General Averill. Thus it read:

"MY DEAR AVERILL,-I wish you would put up your sword and leave my State and go home. You ride a good horse; I ride a better. Yours Send me over a bag of coffee.

can beat mine running.

There was a taunt and a challenge in the note.

FITZ."

"I would like an opportunity to cross the river and try swords with the Confederates," said General Averill to General Hooker.

"You shall have the opportunity."

Early in the morning of March 17th the bugle sounded the call, and the Union cavalrymen leaped into their saddles. There were five regiments in the division. The First Brigade was commanded by Colonel McIntosh-the Third and Sixteenth Pennsylvania, two squadrons of the Fourth Pennsylvania, and the Sixth New York Battery.

The Second Brigade was commanded by Colonel Duffie-the First

Rhode Island, Fourth New York, and Sixth Ohio. There were detachments from the First and Fifth United States Regulars. At daylight the division was on its way towards Kelley's Ford. They found the road

leading to the river blocked with fallen trees, but the pioneers cleared the way with their axes, the Fourth New York keeping up at the same time a lively fire upon the Confederates on the other bank.

The Fourth Rhode Island charged to the bank of the river, to be