WHEN WE CONSIDER THE PROBLEM OF PHYSICAL PROTECTION OF A LINE, I'D GUESS THAT IT WAS NOT IN MD OR PA, BUT WITHIN CS-PROTECTED AREA--I.E., VIRGINIA, PERHAPS A NORTHERN EXTENSION FROM THE TEL STA AT STAUNTON, VA, OR A CONNECTION TO GORDONSVILLE, OR OTHER POINT. BUT THINK OF WHAT FIFTY-ODD MILES COULD MEAN IN TERMS OF SHORTENING A VISUAL CONNECTING (SIGNAL) LINE, MAYBE FREEING SIGNALMEN FOR STATIONING ELSEWHERE, MAYBE PROTECTING AGAINST UNION INTERCEPTION AND READING OF VISUAL SIGNALS, VARIOUS OTHER POSSIBILITIES. MIGHT SOME OF THE CAVALRY STUART LEFT BEHIND HAVE BEEN UNAVAILABLE FOR RECCE BECAUSE THEY WERE STRUNG OUT PATROLLING A LINE IN ENEMY TERRITORY? ANV DID NOT FOLLOW A PRECISE AGENDA OR TIMETABLE, NOR WAS G'BG SET AS DESTINATION OR OBJECTIVE--THAT WOULD BE IN RETROSPECT OR A "LAST MINUTE" CONSIDERATION. ELEVEN DAYS WOULD BACK US UP TO ROUGHLY MID-JUNE OR EARLIER FOR GREEN LIGHT FOR LINE CONSTRUCTION. AND I HAVE SEEN NIL ON CS LINE CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS, TECHNIQUES, ETC., EQUIVALENT TO THAT OF USMT CONSTRUCTION CREWS. CSMT WAS UNDER POSTMASTER GEN BUT MANAGED BY SOUTHERN TEL CO OFFICIALS--WOULD THEY HAVE DRAWN ON POSTAL RESOURCES OR MIL OR IMPRESSED ("RENTED" SLAVES)? A LOT OF GUESSWORK INVOLVED, BUT THIS IS HOW WE LEARN.