Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 9.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

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[485] Here Lieutenant Mitchell was badly wounded, and Private Fontaine was killed; both of Company I. Colonel Stuart then came up, and taking command of the whole, ordered a charge through the woods. For nearly three miles--over gullies and through streams, up hill and down — the Yankees were pursued, fighting their way with obstinacy but unable to hold their ground at any point. The pursuit was continued until within a mile and three-quarters of Arlington Mills. By this expedition two important posts were gained for our lines. While this was going on, Company A, Captain Goldsborough, and Company B, Captain Edelin, were having a brisk skirmish near Mason's house, where they killed and captured several of the enemy. Afterwards on this line the regiment had several skirmishes. One when Hall's hill was captured; Companies B and H, Lieutenant-Colonel Johnson, were engaged, and one at Padgett's, on the Little River pike, where Companies A and H, Captain Goldsborough, drove the enemy into their works at Alexandria. We became attached to this life. The constant excitement of skirmishing was such an agreeable variety to the monotony of camp, that we were loth to give it up, and frequently asked and obtained permission to double our tours of picket duty there.

The fall of 1861 thus passed pleasantly away. The men in perfect health, constantly improving in their knowledge of the soldier's duties, and as constantly increasing in their pride in their regiment. They were well uniformed, well fed and happy. In October, with the whole army, they fell back to the lines of Centreville, where picket and drill was only relieved by one severe march to Pohick, through the mud, without rations, thirty-six miles, in search of Yankees, who were not to be found.