Page:History of the Ninth Virginia Cavalry in the War Between the States.djvu/119

Rh front, was ordered to bring up the rear. We had scarcely cleared the road when we heard the enemy yelling in full charge down it. Wheeling at once into column of platoons, and facing in that direction, we prepared to meet them; but they did not appear.

It was soon discovered that Oliver had gone at full speed back over the road on which we had come, and that the enemy were in hot pursuit of him. It was concluded that the party in pursuit of Oliver were the advance of the main body, and, though it was hard to resist so good a chance of striking an effective blow by charging upon them from the rear, we hurried on to the main road, and, finding an admirable position, made ready to resist the enemy's advance as soon as they should appear. We waited half an hour with no signs of the enemy appearing. Scouts meanwhile came in and reported that the artillery which had been seen below Exol had gone back. It now looked as though we had been misinformed as to the enemy's force, and that it was merely a raiding party, bent on a dash into our camp. So at a gallop we moved in that direction. We soon learned that the Yankees, after driving Oliver over the Dragon, had taken the road to Carlton's Store, on which Lieutenant Baker, with a detachment, had been sent. We at once followed in pursuit, having learned that five of Oliver's little band had been captured, and that he had taken two prisoners belonging to a Pennsylvania regiment, commanded by Colonel Spear. Our command was now divided, and the men with good horses put in front, and we followed the tracks of the enemy at the trot and gallop. Below Carlton's Store we found that a second party of the enemy had retreated from the direction of King and Queen Courthouse, and citizens informed us that they were moving so rapidly that the spokes in the wheels of their gun-carriages could not be counted.

Signs seemed to indicate that we would strike the enemy at Plymouth, and a squadron dashed forward with drawn sabres, to find, however, that the horsemen seen were our own scouts.