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thus far.1 The frost could be scraped from our blankets by handfuls the next morning.
At 6 o'clock we were again under way, but proceeded no more than three miles before making a halt near Bealeton on Bell Plain, our old review ground.
Here we passed the rest of the day and succeeding night, up to about 3 A. M., of the 13th; then we were again turned out and on the move at 5, travelling at a moderate speed until we arrived at what is known as ‘Three Mile Station,’ on the Warrenton Branch Railroad.
We there heard that the Rebels had driven our cavalry out of Warrenton that forenoon.
From this cause, or on account of other information in possession of the corps commander, line of battle was at once formed and skirmishers thrown out. Meanwhile the Battery had been placed on a very commanding hill; but after waiting fully half an hour, with no demonstrations from the enemy, we moved down into the road again and resumed our advance.
Shortly after this Capt. Sleeper was ordered to send a section of his Battery to the front.
In obedience to this order, the right section moved
My division brought up the rear and left. and we crossed the Rappahannock expecting to occupy our old position at Sulphur Springs. . . . . I was met, however, by an aid to Gen. French, with orders to mass my troops at Freeman's Ford, and not take my old position at Sulphur Springs.
About two o'clock in the afternoon of that day an order reached me, stating that the whole army would be prepared to advance; that it would recross the Rappahannock. 1 held my division in readiness until night. I was then upon the right of our army, and little before dark the cavalry under Gen. Gregg, who was stationed at the fords formerly held by me, reported that the enemy was there. That was beyond the line assigned to me, and I sent a staff officer, . . . asking instructions. I received orders to be on the alert and ready to receive an attack, and hold my command in readiness to move. I remained there all night. The enemy crossed within two miles and a half of my command, and I did not interrupt them at all. The next morning I received an order to fall back with the rest of the corps, which we did, and upon the extreme left of the retreating army marched to Greenwich, and then bivouacked.Maj. Gen. Birney: Testimony before the Committee on the Conduct of the War, Vol. I., 1865.
The Arakelyan press, Boston, 1909.
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