advance, he sent Stuart's cavalry around to accomplish the same object by attacking the right and rear of our army. Howard saw the Confederate cavalry moving off in that direction, and David McM. Gregg, whose division was near White's Creek where it crosses the Baltimore Pike, received orders about noon to guard Slocum's right and rear.

Custer had already been contending with his brigade against portions of the enemy's force in that direction, when Gregg sent forward McIntosh's brigade to relieve him, and followed soon after with J. Irving Gregg's brigade. Custer was under orders to join Kilpatrick's command, to which he belonged, but the exigencies of the battle soon forced Gregg to detain him. McIntosh, having taken the place of Custer, pushed forward to develop the enemy's line, which he found very strongly posted, the artillery being on a commanding ridge which overlooked the whole country, and covered by dismounted cavalry in woods, buildings, and behind fences below. McIntosh became warmly engaged and sent back for Randol's battery to act against the Confederate guns on the crest, and drive the enemy out of the buildings. The guns above were silenced by Pennington's and Randol's batteries, and the force below driven out of the houses by Lieutenant Chester's section of the latter. The buildings and fences were then occupied by our troops. The enemy attempted to regain them by a charge against McIntosh's right flank, but were repulsed. In the meantime Gregg came up with the other brigade, and assumed command of the field. The battle now became warm, for W. H. F. Lee's brigade, under Chambliss, advanced to support the skirmish line, and the First New Jersey, being out of ammunition, was charged and routed by the First Virginia. The Seventh Michigan, a new regiment which came up to support it, was also driven in; for the enemy's dismounted line reënforced the First Virginia. The latter regiment, which had held on with

desperate tenacity, although attacked on both flanks, was at last compelled to fall back by an attack made by part of the Fifth Michigan. The contending forces were now pretty well exhausted when, to the dismay of our men, a fresh brigade under Wade Hampton, which Stuart had kept in reserve, made its appearance, and new and desperate exertions were required to stem its progress. There was little

time to act, but every sabre that could be brought forward was used. As Hampton came on, our artillery under Pennington and Randol made terrible gaps in his ranks. Chester's section kept firing canister until the Confederates were within fifty yards of him. The enemy were temporarily stopped by a desperate charge on their flank, made by only sixteen men of the Third Pennsylvania Cavalry, under Captains Treichel and Rogers, accompanied by Captain Newhall of McIntosh's staff. This little band of heroes were nearly all disabled or killed, but they succeeded in delaying the enemy, already shattered by the canister from Chester's guns, until Custer was able to bring up the First Michigan and lead them to the charge, shouting, "Come on, you Wolverines!" Every available sabre was thrown in. General McIntosh and his staff and orderlies charged into the mêlée as individuals. Hampton and Fitz-Hugh Lee headed the enemy, and Custer our troops. Lieutenant Colonel W. Brooke-Rawle, the historian of the conflict, who was present, says, "For minutes, which seemed like hours, amid the clashing of the sabres, the rattle of the small arms, the frenzied imprecations, the demands to surrender, the undaunted replies, and the appeals for mercy, the Confederate column stood its ground." A fresh squadron was brought up under Captain Hart of the First New Jersey, and the enemy at last gave way and retired. Both sides still confronted each other, but the battle was over, for Pickett's charge had failed, and there was no longer any object in continuing the contest.

Stuart was undoubtedly baffled and the object of his expedition frustrated; yet he stated in his official report that he was in a position to intercept the Union retreat in case Pickett had been successful. At night he retreated to regain his communications with Ewell's left.

This battle, being off of the official maps, has hardly been alluded to in the various histories which have been written; but its results were important and deserve to be commemorated.

61. Special Assignments on the Pictures of the Canterbury Pilgrims.

The following assignments are based upon the pictures of the Canterbury Pilgrims which appear in this book in Figures 5-11. Figures 5 and 6 show the painting by Stothard; Figures 7 and 8, pages 252 and 253, the etching by Hole; Figures 10 and 11, pages 254 and 255, the engraving of the fresco by Blake. The drawings shown in Figure 9, page 254, are taken from the Ellesmere manuscript.

(a) Using the picture by Stothard (Figures 5 and 6), describe the company of Pilgrims as they would appear to a traveller who met them on the road.

(b) Using the picture by Hole (Figures 7 and 8), describe the Pilgrims as they appeared to the beggar seated at the foot of the tree.

(c) Choose from the three representations of the Knight the one that most pleases you. Describe this character, bringing out the differences between the poet's and the artist's conception of him.

(d) Choose from the three pictures the best representation of the Clerk of Oxford. Describe the figure you have chosen, and point out wherein this conception differs from those of the other two artists.

(e) Compare the Squire in Stothard's picture with the same character in Hole's. Describe the one you prefer.

(f) Examine carefully the three representations of Chaucer. Describe them, bringing out clearly their likenesses and differences. (g) Choose from all of the pictures the character you like best, and describe it.

(h) Describe the Host (or the Miller) in Stothard's picture, putting the description in the mouth of the Squire.

(i) Describe Chaucer in Blake's picture (Figure 10), as seen by a bystander.