A Northern correspondent said of the course pursued by General Jenkins, in command of Ewell’s cavalry:  “By way of giving the devil his due, it must be said that, although there were over sixty acres of wheat and eighty acres of corn and oats in the same field, he protected it most carefully, and picketed his horses so that it could not be injured.  No fences were wantonly destroyed, poultry was not disturbed, nor did he compliment our blooded cattle so much as to test the quality of their steak and roast.”

Of the feeling of the troops these few words from the letter of an officer written to one of his family will convey an idea:  “I felt when I first came here that I would like to revenge myself upon these people for the devastation they have brought upon our own beautiful home—­that home where we could have lived so happily, and that we loved so much, from which their vandalism has driven you and my helpless little ones.  But, though I had such severe wrongs and grievances to redress, and such great cause for revenge, yet, when I got among these people, I could not find it in my heart to molest them.”

Such was the treatment of the people of Pennsylvania by the Southern troops in obedience to the order of the commander-in-chief.  Lee in person set the example.  A Southern journal made the sarcastic statement that he became irate at the robbing of cherry-trees; and, if he saw the top rail of a fence lying upon the ground as he rode by, would dismount and replace it with his own hands.

XIV.

CONCENTRATION AT GETTYSBURG.

This was the position of the great adversaries in the last days of June.  Lee was at Chambersburg, in the Cumberland Valley, about to follow Ewell, who was approaching Harrisburg.  Early had captured York; and the Federal army was concentrating rapidly on the flank of the Southern army, toward Gettysburg.

Lee had ordered the movement of Early upon York, with the object of diverting the attention of the Federal commander from his own rear, in the Cumberland Valley.  The exact movements and position of General Meade were unknown to him; and this arose in large measure from the absence of Stuart’s cavalry.  This unfortunate incident has given rise to much comment, and Stuart has been harshly criticised for an alleged disobedience of Lee’s plain orders.  The question is an embarrassing one.  Lee’s statement is as follows:  “General Stuart was left to guard the passes of the mountains” (Ashby’s and other gaps in the Blue Ridge, in Virginia), “and observe the movements of the enemy, whom he was instructed to harass and impede as much as possible should he attempt to cross the Potomac. In that event, General Stuart was directed to move into Maryland, crossing the Potomac east or west of the Blue Ridge, as in his judgment should be best, and take position on the right of our column as it advanced.”