To proceed to the narrative, which will deal in large measure with the operations of the cavalry—­that arm of the service, as we have said, having borne the chief share of the fighting, and achieved the only successes.  Stuart moved out on the right of the infantry, which marched directly toward Madison Court-House, and near the village of James City, directly west of Culpepper Court-House, drove in the cavalry and infantry outposts of General Kilpatrick on the main body beyond the village.  Continuous skirmishing ensued throughout the rest of the day—­Stuart’s object being to occupy the enemy, and divert attention from the infantry movement in his rear.  In this he seems to have fully succeeded.  Lee passed Madison Court-House, and moving, as he says, “by circuitous and concealed roads,” reached the vicinity of Griffinsburg, on what is called the Sperryville Road, northwest of Culpepper Court-House.  A glance at the map will show the relative positions of the two armies at this moment.  General Meade lay around Culpepper Court-House, with his advance about half-way between that place and the Rapidan, and Lee had attained a position which gave him fair hopes of intercepting his adversary’s retreat.  That retreat must be over the line of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad; but from Griffinsburg to Manassas was no farther than from Culpepper Court-House to the same point.  If the Federal army fell back, as Lee anticipated, it would be a question of speed between the retreating and pursuing columns; and, as the narrative will show, the race was close—­a few hours lost making the difference between success and failure in Lee’s movement.

On the morning of the 10th while the infantry were still near Griffinsburg, General Stuart moved promptly down upon Culpepper Court-House, driving the enemy from their large camps near Stonehouse Mountain.  These were elaborately provided with luxuries of every description, and there were many indications of the fact that the troops had expected to winter there.  No serious fighting occurred.  A regiment of infantry was charged and dispersed by the Jefferson Company of Captain Baylor, and Stuart then proceeded rapidly to Culpepper Court-House, where the Federal cavalry, forming the rear-guard of the army, awaited him.

General Meade was already moving in the direction of the Rappahannock.  The presence of the Southern army near Griffinsburg had become known to him; he was at no loss to understand Lee’s object; and, leaving his cavalry to cover his rear, he moved toward the river.  As Stuart attacked the Federal horse posted on the hills east of the village, the roar of cannon on his right, steadily drawing nearer, indicated that General Fitz Lee was forcing the enemy in that direction to fall back.  Stuart was now in high spirits, and indulged in hearty laughter, although the enemy’s shells were bursting around him.

“Ride back to General Lee,” he said to an officer of his staff, “and tell him we are forcing the enemy back on the Rappahannock, and I think I hear Fitz Lee’s guns toward the Rapidan.”