unnecessary picket duty, for the cavalry picket-line almost

completely encircled the infantry and artillery camps of the army,

covering a distance, on a continuous line, of nearly sixty miles,

with hardly a mounted Confederate confronting it at any point. From

the very beginning of the war the enemy had shown more wisdom

respecting his cavalry than we. Instead of wasting its strength by a

policy of disintegration he, at an early day, had organized his

mounted force into compact masses, and plainly made it a favorite;

(Editor：thanks)