Page:History of the Ninth Virginia Cavalry in the War Between the States.djvu/102

96 road. For two days the command held the cavalry in check, finally driving them back upon their infantry. The loss of the regiment was considerable during these two days, chiefly from Companies G and H (under command of Second-Lieutenant Nick Davis, of Lunenburg), who were acting on foot as skirmishers. We recrossed the Antietam at Funkstown under fire of the Federal artillery, and, passing through the line of our infantry, bivouacked on the Hagerstown road. Next day we moved to the north and east of Hagerstown, and, crossing the Antietam a mile from the town, felt the enemy in that direction. We then recrossed the river, and became the outpost guard at the bridge, the remainder of the brigade bivouacking between us and the town. General Meade's army, in full force, was now immediately in our front. General Lee was in position east and south of Hagerstown quietly awaiting an attack. Our regiment was stationed about four hundred yards from the bridge, at the intersection with the 'pike, of a road leading to a ford below. General Robinson's brigade occupied positions higher up the stream to our left. By some mistake the pickets sent from our regiment had been posted in front of Robinson's men. It was not till after nine o'clock P. M. that Lieutenant Beale, sent with a company to barricade the bridge, reported the fact that our front was open. Pickets were immediately posted at the bridge and crossings of the river, and Captain Oliver was ordered to take a position in advance of us with a squadron, with instructions for the men to rest on their arms.

About dawn of the following morning a scout came in and reported that all the obstructions had been removed by the enemy from a road leading to a ford above the bridge, and that cavalry was being massed on the road beyond the bridge. At the same moment a courier from General Chambliss reported that he had moved to reinforce General Robinson. Orders were given the company officers to saddle up and mount the men as rapidly as possible. Captain Oliver was ordered to hold the bridge. The enemy, however, crossed