Although it's to be done by cavalry alone, as I told you, it'll be the finest cavalry you ever saw." And when Sheridan gathered his horsemen for the march Warner's words came true.

Ten thousand Union men, all hardy troopers now, were in the saddle, and the great Sheridan led them.

The eyes of Little Phil glinted as he looked upon his matchless command, bold youths who had learned in the long hard training of war itself, to be the equals of Stuart's own famous riders.

And the eyes of Sheridan glinted again when they passed over the Winchesters, the peerless regiment, the bravest of the brave, with the colonel and the three youthful captains in their proper places.
The weather was extremely cold, but they were prepared for it, and when they swung up the valley, and forty thousand hoofs beat on the hard road, giving back a sound like thunder, their pulses leaped, and they took with delight deep draughts of the keen frosty air.
While they carried food for the entire march, the rest of their equipment was light, four cannon, ammunition wagons, some ambulances and pontoon boats.

Dick thought they would make fast time, but fortune for awhile was against them.