36 CONFEDERATE PORTRAITS
John Brown. He himself wrote an account of the matter at the time for the newspapers, simply to explain and justify Lee's conduct. He also wrote a letter to his mother, with a characteristic description of his own doings : *' I approached the door in the presence of per- haps two thousand spectators, and told Mr. Smith that I had a communication for him from Colonel Lee. He opened the door about four inches, and placed his body against the crack, with a cocked carbine in his hand ; hence his remark after his capture that he could have wiped me out like a mosquito. . . . When Smith first came to the door I recognized old Osawatomie Brown^ who had given us so much trouble in Kansas. No one present but myself could have performed that service. I got his bowie-knife from his person, and have it yet." ^
From the very beginning of the war Stuart maintained this fighting reputation. He would attack any thing any- where, and the men who served under him had to do the same ; what is more, and marks the born leader, he made them wish to do the same. " How can I eat, sleep, or rest in peace without you upon the outpost?"^ wrote Joseph Johnston ; and a noble enemy, who had been a friend, Sedgwick, is reported to have said that Stuart was "the greatest cavalry officer ever foaled in America."^
Danger he met with more than stolid indifference, a sort of furious bravado, thrusting himself into it with manifest pleasure, and holding back, when he did hold back, with a sigh. And some men's luck ! Johnston was
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