Page:History of the Ninth Virginia Cavalry in the War Between the States.djvu/29



On Wednesday, the 25th of June, rations were cooked, and that night the regiment marched, taking the road leading to Ashland. We had, along with other regiments, a few days previously received the Confederate battle-flag. At a late hour of the night, after breaking our camp, we came in sight of the camp-fires of Major-General T. J. Jackson's command. They were surrounded by men busily engaged in cooking rations.

At early dawn next morning we advanced upon the road running towards Mechanicsville, and as we progressed the line of march deflected to the left. In the afternoon the sound of heavy volleys of small arms, accompanied by the roar of artillery on our right-front, told of the general advance of our lines, and the terrible conflict at hand. Later in the afternoon our movement was very much impeded by broken bridges and trees felled across the road, which told us the enemy was retreating. A few sutler's carts were the only captures we saw. It was soon understood that General "Stonewall" Jackson commanded in person the force of which our cavalry was the van.

We lay at night upon the road, bridles in hand, near Pole Green meeting-house, a few miles east of Mechanicsville. The firing upon our right-front was resumed in the morning, and, from the sound, seemed to be crossing our front to the left. We moved forward at an early hour. Upon reaching the