Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/524

484 McCausland's cavalry was attacked on the Georgetown road, and he was forced, by superior numbers, to retire until infantry supports came to his relief.

At dark of the 12th of July, the trains were started to the rear, with Wharton's division in front, and at 11 p. m. the other divisions followed, with Ramseur in the rear, McCausland falling back by the river road and thus guarding the left flank of the march. Rockville was reached by daylight of the 13th, and Seneca creek at about noon of that day, where the army halted and rested until dark. McCausland marched to Edwards' ferry. The enemy's cavalry followed the main body to Rockville and attacked the rear guard, Jackson's brigade of cavalry, but were handsomely repulsed. The march was continued during the night, by way of Poolesville, the army reaching White's ford of the Potomac about midnight and resting there until dawn of the 14th, when it crossed the Potomac and went into camp on the Virginia side, on the road leading to Leesburg. The cavalry crossed into Virginia at Conrad's ferry, and then marched to Edwards' ferry, where it had an engagement with the Federal cavalry from the Maryland side.

The 15th was spent in camp, while the trains and prisoners were sent toward the Valley, by way of Upperville and Ashby's gap, convoyed by McCausland. The enemy made demonstrations along the Potomac, shelling the cavalry guarding the fords. On the 16th, the army again marched, by way of Leesburg and Purcellville, through Snicker's gap of the Blue ridge, with Jackson's cavalry in advance; and Gordon's and Wharton's divisions crossed the Shenandoah and encamped on its western side, between Snicker's ferry and Berryville, while the other divisions encamped on both slopes of the Blue ridge. McCausland followed after the trains to Ashby's gap, and Johnson marched on roads to protect the right flank from the enemy at Hillsboro, who had come in from Harper's Ferry, but he failed in doing this and an attack was made on the train, in passing through Purcellville, and some damage done; but the attack was soon repulsed, and a piece of artillery captured from the attacking party. McCausland crossed the river and went to the vicinity of Millwood.

On the 17th of July, the entire army got into camps on the western side of the Shenandoah, near Castleman's