Page:Four Years in the Stonewall Brigade (1906).djvu/37

Rh when we left. Our equipments consisted of knapsacks, blankets, cartridge boxes, canteens and tents.

We had all started out with a carpet sack full of "store clothes, biled shirts and paper collars," but we loaded them in the wagon and sent them home. We soon found out that we had no use for "store clothes and biled shirts."

On the 15th of July our regiment was marched one mile north of Winchester and permanently attached to General T. J. Jackson's Brigade, consisting of the 2d, 4th, 5th and 27th Virginia Regiments. Ours, not being full yet, was not numbered, but called Colonel Cummings' Regiment.

On the 16th, the report being that General Patterson was advancing on Winchester, we were rushed out in line of battle, tore down all the fences, and lay on our arms ready for action at a moment's warning. The next day passed off in the same way, but no enemy appeared, and we returned to camp and lay quiet.

Another new company comes to our regiment, the "Shenandoah Sharpshooters," Captain David Walton. They have no arms and are given flintlock muskets. We are now ordered to cook rations and be ready to march at a moment's warning. Our regiment now has eight companies, and numbers about 650 men; but the measles have been raging in camp and about 200 are sent to the hospital, being unable to march.

July 18th we marched through Winchester and took the road leading to Berry's Ferry, on the Shenandoah river, about eighteen miles distant. The citizens were very much grieved to see us leave, for fear the enemy would be in town, as there were no troops left but a few militia and Colonel Turner Ashby's cavalry.

After marching a few miles we were halted, and the Adjutant read us orders that the enemy were about to overpower General Beauregard at Manassas Junction, and we would have to make a forced march. It was General Johnston's wish that all the men would keep in ranks and not straggle, if possible. Then we started on a quick march, marched all day and nearly all night, wading the Shenandoah river about 12 o'clock at night, halted at a small village called Paris about two hours, then resumed the march