Page:History of the Ninth Virginia Cavalry in the War Between the States.djvu/152

146 for so early a visit. Some were made prisoners, and many, hastily rushing from their tents, and casting aside their blankets, with white flags fluttering in their rear, sought the protecting cover of the woods. We found them to be the remnant of the First District of Columbia Cavalry, upon whose ranks we had previously made so heavy an inroad at Malone's Crossing. The herd of portly beeves, numbering over two thousand four hundred, were secured and driven within our lines. About three hundred horses and equipments were secured, and eleven wagons containing supplies. Rosser had a few men killed and wounded. Our division met with no loss. Our next camping-ground was at Chappell's farm, where we remained quietly until the 27th of September. On that day we marched towards Petersburg. On the 30th we were dismounted and posted on the right of our infantry line.

We were ordered to advance in the afternoon to support a piece of our artillery. The gunners were running, and a force of Yankee infantry on the opposite side of the field were about to charge the gun. Changing from column into line as rapidly as possible, we charged across the field, firing only a few shots. The enemy broke before we came up, and were retreating from the field. If we had been mounted the probability is we might have overtaken and captured several thousand. As it was, we took one colonel (commanding the Twenty-fourth New York Cavalry), many company officers, and over five hundred privates. On the following day we had a skirmish on the Squirrel Level and Vaughan roads. The brigade lost about fifty prisoners. The Captain of company A and several privates were wounded. After a day or two passed in bivouac near Petersburg, we returned to Chappell's, on Goose creek.

On the 17th of October Colonel Davis, having left us, the author was assigned to the command of the brigade, and turned the regiment over to Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Waller, who was made colonel. Samuel Swann became lieutenant-colonel, and R. H. Pratt major.