  Henry of Navarre was a famous French king who led his forces to a glorious victory in a civil war. An English writer, Lord Macaulay, wrote a stirring poem in which a French soldier is represented as describing this battle. Here is his picture of the great, beloved king:— “The King is come to marshal us, in all his armor drest, And he has bound a snow-white plume upon his gallant crest. He looked upon his people and a tear was in his eye, He looked upon the traitors and his glance was stern and high; Right graciously he smiled on us, as rolled from wing to wing, Down all our line a deafening shout, ‘God save our lord, the King!’ “‘And if my standard bearer fall,—as fall full well he may, For never saw I promise yet of such a bloody fray— Press where you see my white plume shine amidst the ranks of war, And be your oriflamme to-day the helmet of Navarre.’ “A thousand spurs are striking deep, a thousand spears in rest, A thousand knights are pressing close behind the snow-white crest; And in they burst and on they rushed, while like a guiding star, Amidst the thickest carnage blazed the helmet of Navarre.” These lines about the French king of the sixteenth century are often quoted in describing a gallant cavalry leader of our own country. As we read them, we see the Confederate general, “Jeb” Stuart, his cavalry hat looped back on one side with a long black ostrich plume which his troopers always saw in the forefront of the charge. His men would follow that plume anywhere, at any time, and when you read this story of his life, you will not wonder that he inspired their absolute devotion. You have read about the lives of the peerless commander, General Robert E. Lee, and his great lieutenant, General Stonewall Jackson. In these you have learned something about the movements of the great body of our army, the infantry; but the infantry, even with such able commanders as Lee and Jackson, needed the aid of the cavalry and the artillery. It is with these two latter divisions of the army that we deal in studying the life of General Stuart. As chief of cavalry and commander of the famous Stuart Horse Artillery, he served as eyes and ears to the commanding generals. He kept them informed about the location and movements of the Federals, screened the location of the Confederate troops, felt the way, protected the flank and rear when the army was on the march, and made quick raids into the Federal territory or around their army to secure supplies and information as well as to mislead them concerning the proposed movements of Confederate forces. A heavy responsibility rested on the cavalry, and General Stuart and his men were engaged in many small but severe battles and skirmishes in which the army as a whole did not take part. “To horse, to horse! the sabers gleam, High sounds our bugle call, Combined by honor’s sacred tie, Our watchword, ‘laws and liberty!’ Forward to do or die.” —Sir Walter Scott LIFE OF J. E. B. STUART |
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