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church, and were enjoying a bountiful supper.
It was the work of a minute to disarm these men and send them to the rear, with the information that nearly all of the vanguard were guarding prisoners, and that I needed help, but would not wait for it. On we dashed, and about a hour after sunset we came in full sight of Pope's wagon-train at Bristoe Station.
It was a time of intense excitement.
Minutes lengthened into hours, and hours would have been days.
The lurid lightning was flashing thick and fast, the thunder would have dwarfed a corps of man's artillery; the rain was a down-pour, mules were tramping and neighing, smouldering camp-fires were fast going out, but the lightning occasionally revealed wagons, mules, and hay. And, above all, we did not know when to expect our support.
