J. E. B. STUART 6i

nor does your character or reputation require bolstering

But by far the most interesting human revelation of this kind is one letter of Stuart's own, written to justify himself against some aspersions of General Trimble. With the right or wrong of the case we are not con- cerned; simply with the fascinating study of Stuart's state of mind. He begins evidendy with firm restraint and a Christian moderation : Human memory is frail I know." But the exposure of his wrongs heats his blood, as he goes on, and spurs him, though he still endeavors to check himself: "It is true I am not in the habit of giving orders, particularly to my seniors in years, in a dictatorial and authoritative manner, and my manner very likely on this occasion was more restive than im- perative ; indeed, I may have been content to satisfy myself that the dispositions which he himself proposed accorded with my own ideas, without any blustering show of orders to do this or that. . . . General Trimble says I did not reach the place until seven or eight o'clock. I was in plain view all the time, and rode through, around, and all about the place soon after its capture. General Trimble is mistaken." ^e Nay, in his stammering eagerness to right himself, his phrases, usu- ally so crisp and clear, stumble and fall over each other :

• • In the face of General Trimble's positive denial of

sending me such a message, 'that he would prefer wait- ing until daylight,' or anything like it, while my recol-

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