CHAPTER X.

FROM THE RETURN TO VIRGINIA TO THE AFFAIR AT MINE RUN.

THE brigade camped in the vicinity of Martinsburg, after reaching Virginia. Thence it marched to Bunker's Hill, about twelve miles from Winchester. Here it re

mained for two days, bivouacked on the identical ground it had occupied the year before. The whole army was assembled about this place. The enemy did not follow us. Fitz-Hugh Lee had an engagement with the Federal cavalry at some point not far from Martinsburg, but drove them away, so that we suffered no further molestation just

now.

On Monday, July 20, or Tuesday, the 21st, we broke camp, and marched down the turnpike to Winchester, which town we passed through the same day, going a few miles south of it before bivouacking for the night. This bivouac is more strongly impressed on my mind than many more important things, from the fact that we lay upon the most uncomfortable stones to be found even in that Arabia Petræa.

On the next day we continued the march, passing near Kernstown, and bearing off eastward from the valley turnpike, by a country road. We crossed the Shenandoah on pontoons, just below the junction of the two forks, and lay at night upon the hills west of and overlooking Front Royal. This was a hot, fatiguing march, and there was some straggling. Longstreet's corps had passed north of us, and rather parallel with us-over Ashby's Gap, I believe. We heard here delightful news of a chastisement inflicted by Pickett's division on the pursuing enemy-but some allowance had to be made for the magnifying-glasses of the many imaginations through which the rumor had passed before it reached us.

On the third day we marched through Front Royal, but without the welcome we had received the month before.

But we did not complain; we seemed to be going down hill, and we felt that it was a matter of congratulation that the people did not give us the proverbial kick. We crossed the Blue Ridge at Chester Gap, and bivouacked at Flint Hill. We cooked rations here, and for this purpose made a great raid on rail fences; but the contraband fuel was restored, by strenuous exertions. On the fourth day we passed Gaines' Cross Roads. Very soon, skirmishers were thrown out on the left flank, to guard against an attack apprehended from the enemy's cavalry. These seemed to be attempting to cross the spurs of mountains along our line of march, and thus cut us in two. As we approached the Thornton river, we heard cannonading just ahead, and soon a few shells were thrown over us.

Some troops, not of our division, were sent against the intruders, and were not long in driving them away. Some rifle balls fell among us, but no casualties occurred. These balls came from such a distance that I could not hear the report of the pieces. Could Whitworth rifles have been so plentiful in Meade's cavalry as to carry on a respectable sharpshooting? We forded Thornton river, a narrow stream, knee-deep, and then crossed Hazel river on a bridge. We bivouacked about two miles from the latter point. On the fifth day we marched to within two miles of Culpepper Court House, where we remained two or three days. We then moved our camp about a mile, and remained here nearly a week. We drilled a little, and picketed by regiments, two or three miles north of Culpepper, on the road to Brandy Station.

On Saturday evening, August 1, we received intelligence of an advance by the Federal cavalry on our picket station. They, it seemed, had attacked our cavalry picket, in advance of the infantry, driven them in, and followed them up to where the Fourteenth regiment lay. This regiment at once formed and met them. The enemy made quite a dash, but they were quickly routed by the steady fire of the Fourteenth. That regiment suffered no casualties at all that are reported.

McGowan's brigade, with the rest of the division, was marched, immediately, beyond Culpepper, in the direction of the picket-post. But nothing further being done by the

enemy, we bivouacked in the fields until Sunday morning. Then we advanced a short distance, and lay in the woods for the remainder of the day. On Monday morning, August 3, we were put in motion about sunrise, and marched through Culpepper, towards Orange Court House. The heat was intense and the dust almost suffocating. At noon we rested in the dense woods where the battle of Cedar Run was fought, just a year before, lacking a few days. Unburied skeletons of men were visible in places, and the trees bore abundant scars. In the afternoon, we proceeded to within four or five miles of the Rapidan, where we bivouacked and cooked rations. Early on the morning of the 4th, we resumed the march, waded the Rapidan at Barnet's Ford, and went into camp about a mile from Orange Court House. Here we rested from the labors of active campaigning.

We were bivouacked in a growth of oaks, in column of regiments, with intervals of thirty yards or so. The Twelfth was in front, behind it the First, then the Fourteenth, then the Thirteenth, then the Rifles. The lines were loosely dressed, so as to give room, behind the front of each company, for two rows of flies and a street of twelve or fourteen feet. The men pitched the small "Yankee" flies, as we called them, of which every one, almost, had a piece. I remember to have remarked, at the time, that these were no bad commentary on the war. There must have been from ten to twenty thousand of them in the Army of Northern Virginia, for the camps were everywhere white with them, and with them only. It would go to show, at least, that we had held many a battlefield. A very few large Confederate flies were issued to the officers, in place of the lot lost in Pennsylvania, on the retreat.

Brig. Gen. C. M. Wilcox, of Anderson's division, was appointed Major-General, at this time, and assigned to the command of Pender's Light division, so that we were now under our third Major-General. General Heth was restricted to the command of his own proper division.

The situation of the brigade here was very pleasant. Our rations were sufficient, though plain, and partaking somewhat too largely of the corn-meal element; a good deal of clothing and shoes was issued to us; and the mili

Picket was done

tary duties were by no means arduous. at Barnet's Ford, on the Rapidan, by the whole division, so that the tour of each regiment came every eighteenth or twentieth day. And the duty was light, for we lay upon the river bank all day, and kept up but a small guard at night. The cavalry was beyond the river, in our front. There were, usually, two drills a day-company drill early in the morning, battalion drill in the afternoon. There was a chain of sentinels kept, except in extremely bad weather, around the brigade camp, which permitted only officers, or men with passes, or going after wood and water, to pass out. Close attention was paid to the policing of the camp. Every corner of it was swept in the morning, and the filth carried beyond the lines. An officer inspected the grounds in each regiment.

The health of the command was very good. Individuals would sometimes eat too largely of green corn or apples, and lay themselves up; but these accidents were of rare occurrence. The diarrhoea common to armies prevailed; but by this time most men seemed to be thoroughly accustomed to it. Our elastic spirits revived from the depression of July, and satisfaction with the present and confidence of the future were almost- unanimously expressed.

Our ranks were considerably recruited. Many of those wounded at Chancellorsville returned recovered from their injuries, and others who had been sick in hospitals came up.

Desertions were pretty numerous at this time in the army, i. e., numerous for the Army of Northern Virginia. Few, if any, went to the enemy, but a great many went home, from some commands. I heard of but two desertions from our brigade, and these were men who had never performed any great service. They were from the Twelfth regiment. They were caught, and tried by court-martial; but more of them hereafter.

Nothing marked the camp near Orange Court House more than the religious spirit that arose amongst us. Hitherto there had been nothing like a general interest manifested in religion. Service had been held regularly in the different regiments by their chaplains, and to quite good and quite attentive audiences; but there had been no expression of

feeling by the men, and certainly very few professions were made. Now, however, almost every one seemed to become concerned. The most ordinary preachers drew large congregations; scarcely a day passed without a sermon; there was not a night, but the sound of prayer and hymnsinging was heard. Often, two or three sermons were preached at once in the brigade, and if there was none among us, we went to the other brigades to hear. The ministry throughout the Confederacy seems to have felt the necessity of greater exertion then than ever before, and accordingly sent us evangelists in larger numbers than I ever saw in camp before or afterwards. Not a few connected themselves with the church, and many more evinced, from that time, a seriousness in beautiful contrast with former immorality. The tone of the whole command was all that could be desired.

Col. Hamilton, of the First regiment, returned a few weeks after our arrival at Orange Court House, and, for the time, resumed command of the brigade, as senior colonel. He was soon afterwards assigned to duty on the coast of South Carolina, where he commanded a brigade, until his resignation in November following. Col. Hamilton was a gallant officer, an excellent disciplinarian, a careful manager of troops, an honorable and accomplished gentleman. His regiment expressed great regret at his loss, and properly.

On the 25th of September, the cavalry of the enemy made a strong demonstration near Liberty Mills, on the Rapidan, about five miles from Orange Court House. Wilcox's division was sent to the support of the Confederate cavalry, except Lane's brigade, which was left at Barnett's Ford. The cavalry fought some on the west side of the river, but our assistance was not required further than as picket and support. I do not think any portion of our division was engaged, except Lane's brigade, at Barnett's Ford, who were under a pretty heavy shelling. The Twelfth regiment was detached from us, and marched down the river below the mills, but they were not under fire. It proved to be a small affair all around, and we returned to camp on the third day.

Col. Abner Perrin received, at this time, the appoint