A brilliant pageant, succeeded by a dramatic and stirring incident, was now to prelude the march of Lee into the enemy’s territory.  On the 8th of June, the day of the arrival of Lee’s head of column in Culpepper, a review of Stuart’s cavalry took place in a field east of the court-house.  The review was a picturesque affair.  General Lee was present, sitting his horse, motionless, on a little knoll—­the erect figure half concealed by the short cavalry-cape falling from his shoulders, and the grave face overshadowed by the broad gray hat—­while above him, from a lofty pole, waved the folds of a large Confederate flag.  The long column of about eight thousand cavalry was first drawn up in line, and afterward passed in front of Lee at a gallop—­Stuart and his staff-officers leading the charge with sabres at tierce point, a species of military display highly attractive to the gallant and joyous young commander.  The men then charged in mimic battle the guns of the “Stuart Horse-Artillery,” which were posted upon an adjoining hill; and, as the column of cavalry approached, the artillerists received them with a thunderous discharge of blank ammunition, which rolled like the roar of actual battle among the surrounding hills.  This sham-fight was kept up for some time, and no doubt puzzled the enemy on the opposite shore of the Rappahannock.  On the next morning—­either in consequence of a design formed before the review, or to ascertain what this discharge of artillery meant—­two divisions of Federal cavalry, supported by two brigades of “picked infantry,” were sent across the river at Kelly’s and Beverley’s Fords, east of the court-house, to beat up the quarters of Stuart and find what was going on in the Southern camps.

The most extensive cavalry-fight, probably, of the whole war, followed.  One of Stuart’s brigades, near Beverley’s Ford, was nearly surprised and resolutely attacked at daylight by Buford’s division, which succeeded in forcing back the brigade a short distance toward the high range called Fleetwood Hill, in the rear.  From this eminence, where his headquarters were established, Stuart went to the front at a swift gallop, opened a determined fire of artillery and sharp-shooters upon the advancing enemy, and sent Hampton’s division to attack them on their left.  Meanwhile, however, the enemy were executing a rapid and dangerous movement against Stuart’s, rear.  General Gregg, commanding the second Federal cavalry division, crossed at Kelly’s Ford below, passed the force left in that quarter, and came in directly on Stuart’s rear, behind Fleetwood Hill.  In the midst of the hard fight in front, Stuart was called now to defend his rear.  He hastened to do so by falling back and meeting the enemy now charging the hill.  The attack was repulsed, and the enemy’s artillery charged in turn by the Southerners.  This was captured and recaptured two or three times, but at last remained in the hands of Stuart.