Without further incident, he then pushed on, and
entered the town in triumph.
A charming reception awaited him. The place was thoroughly Southern;
and the passage of the cavalry was greeted with loud cheers. Unbounded
was the delight, above all, of a seminary of young girls. Doors and
windows were crowded: bright eyes shone; red lips laughed; waving
handkerchiefs were seen everywhere; and when Stuart appeared in person,
he was received with wild rejoicing.
He bowed low, removing his plumed hat, but suddenly intelligence came
which forced him to push on. A long train of "government" wagons had
come up from Washington, and on discovering our presence, returned
toward the city at a gallop. But the ferocious rebels were after them.
Stuart led the charging column--the warlike teamsters were soon
halted--the trains became our spoil--and with countless kicking mules
driven onward in droves before them, the cavalry, escorting the
captured wagons, continued their way toward Pennsylvania.
Moving all that night, Stuart came to Westminster, where Fitz Lee, the
gallant, drove the enemy's cavalry from their camp, and the town fell
into the hands of Stuart.
Here scowls instead of smiles greeted us. Every face was glum and
forbidding, with a few exceptions. So we hastened to depart from that
"loyal" town, and were soon on the soil of Pennsylvania.
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