Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 4.
Frank Moore, Ed.

Gen. Lander has applied to the Governor of Maryland for the promotion of John Cannon to a lieutenancy. He has also the names of several deserving men of the cavalry force. He attributes the misconduct of the cavalry to the absence of several of their officers, now ill at Cumberland. Capt. Carman is reported to have behaved well. The same force, on independent scouting parties by companies and squads, has behaved well. It was the first time they were ever marched as squadrons before the enemy. They had been accustomed to dismount and fight as infantry, and had little practice with the sabre.

The following order has been issued in reference to one of the men killed, and I think more orders have been issued in relation to others. An officer obliged me with a copy of this:

Special order no. 58.

S. D. Bigger, a private of Capt. Carman's company, D, First Virginia cavalry, having been killed while gallantly endeavoring to capture the baggage of the enemy, will be escorted to his former residence, and the body delivered to his family, with the regrets of the Commanding General that so brave a man should be lost to them and the country.

His last words were: “I am killed; don't mind it; but go on.”

Capt. Carman will detail two of his comrades, true soldiers, who were with him at the front, as an escort.

The expenses and burial charges will be paid. Had the man lived, he would have received promotion.

By command of

Brig.-Gen. Lander. H. G. Armstrong, A. A.A. G.

It is said that Gen. Lander still maintains that cavalry is one of the most effective arms to use in this country, and believes, if he had not ordered to bring up the infantry, the men, having got over the excitement occasioned by this first fire,would have done all that he could have expected of them. He has complimented the whole command, for the manner in which they bore the hardships of a bivouac in the snow, and a march of forty-three miles without rest, and with scant subsistence.

When Gen. Lander was reinforced from Ohio, no wagons were furnished with the regiments; one of his best regiments has no tents, not a murmur has been heard, and the enemy driven from Moorfield on the south, to the eastern limits of his department, by a system of hurried marches and combinations, which compelled Jackson to retire, by threatening his subsistence-trains. As much has been said about General Lander's marching on Winchester, it may be remarked that he has never been ordered east of Romney, and all he has done since his reoccupation of that point, has been done at the risk of displeasing in high quarters. I was informed, by very good authority, that Lander would fight Jackson, in force, in his own department, but could not proceed beyond it unless to support Gen. Banks, should he need his assistance. He captured four thousand bushels of corn and two hundred and twenty-five beef-cattle, from one of the rebel depots, forty miles south of Romney, a few days since.

His men, on their marches, usually take rations in their haversacks, and beef-cattle are driven loose with the command. They have made some astonishing marches for raw troops, and in their numerous skirmishes, they have had no support from artillery.