LEWINSVILLE-FALSE ALARMS.

49

latter part of the month one Company crossed the Long Bridge, on a reconnoissance, with a section of artillery and fifty cavalry, and proceeding on the Falls Church road, thence to Lewinsville, drove the rebel cavalry pickets to their camp at Vienna, arrested a prominent secessionist, and returned by way of Langley, reaching camp at sunset.

General McClellan, accompanied by President Lincoln, Secretaries Seward, Chase and Cameron, reviewed the Brigade on the 29th of August.

The following changes took place while here : Henry N. Alexander appointed Quarter - Master, vice H. S. Suydam, resigned.

Sylvanus Mulford, promoted to full Surgeon, vice T. R. Spencer, promoted to Brigade Surgeon.

Patrick Ryan, 2nd Lieutenant of Company K, resigned, succeeded by Edward Cary, who was immediately detailed to General Smith's staff.

Peter Weissgreber, Co. G, died in camp.

On the 3rd of September a detachment of fiftytwo men, from Companies C and D, crossed the river, and proceeding as far as Langley, threw out skirmishers to the right and left of the road. During the afternoon an alarm was created by the pickets coming upon General Porter's, stationed further to the left, who were mistaken for rebels. They were all immediately withdrawn, with the exception of three members of Company D, who refused to leave, in their eagerness to get a shot at the supposed grey-backs. This mistake provoked considerable merriment, although it resulted very

unfortunately in the shooting of the most valuable spy in the employ of the government, who imprudently ventured beyond the line of skirmishers.

About eleven o'clock on the same evening the entire Brigade crossed over the Long Bridge. On reaching the Virginia shore the Thirty-third filed off in the fields at the left, Companies A, F and D being deployed in front, as skirmishers, for a mile or more. The remainder of the Regiment lay upon their arms all night, with the exception of a small party employed in cutting away timber which interfered with the artillery range.

Other troops, to the number of ten thousand, likewise crossed over that night, and eighteen hundred axes were immediately set to work in felling the dense forest of half-grown pines, where forts Marcy and Ethan Allen now stand. This location was christened Camp Advance. Numerous fortifications. were constructed, and in three days' time heavy siege guns mounted. The troops always slept upon their arms, ready to repel an attack at a moment's notice. One night a severe rain storm washed several of the knapsacks belonging to the Thirty-third into a gully running near by, filled the band instruments with water, and drenched through to the skin all who were not provided with shelter. The arrival of tents on the 15th occasioned much joy among the men.

During the same day the æronauts reported the enemy as moving in large numbers, and the entire army slept on their arms. The "movement"

FIRST SKIRMISH WITH THE ENEMY.

53

proved to be merely a raid for the purpose of destroying "Hall's House," and property belonging to other Unionists. Lieutenants Mix and Gifford were sent north from here on recruiting service, and D'Estaing Dickinson, of Watertown, was appointed Assistant Surgeon.

Hitherto the army had been organized into Brigades simply. Divisions were now formed, and the Thirty-third was attached to the Third Brigade, commanded by the lamented Colonel Stevens, and consisting of the Forty-ninth and Seventy-ninth N. Y. and Forty-seventh Pa. General Smith was appointed commander of the Division. This change consummated, Camp Advance was abandoned for Camp Ethan Allen, which was taken possession of September 24th. The men were employed in working on Fort Allen, slashing timber, performing picket duty, &c., &c. A visit from the Paymaster was made here, who distributed several months' pay among the troops. Colonel Stevens, in a special order, prohibited profanity in his command.

It was while lying at Camp Ethan Allen that the Thirty-third engaged in its first skirmish with

the enemy.

On the morning of September 29th, Smith's entire Division moved up the Lewinsville Turnpike, to attack, as was generally supposed, the rebel force at Vienna. On arriving, however, at Makell's Hill, between Langley and Lewinsville, the men were formed in line of battle, and Mott's battery planted in front, supported by the Thirty-third. Other batteries