Page:History of the Ninth Virginia Cavalry in the War Between the States.djvu/33

Rh The approach of our forces had frightened the embalmer away, and denied to his relatives the mournful satisfaction of a farewell look upon that noble brow of the sleeping warrior. Nothing was left to indicate his name.

The encampment here was extremely uncleanly; indeed, vermin might be seen crawling on the ground, a result probably of the crowds of negroes who had sought its shelter. Having remained at the White House during the night, we marched next morning to Forge Bridge on the Chickahominy. Beyond the river the enemy had an outpost, sustained by a few pieces of artillery. Captain Pelham, galloping with several of his pieces down to the river's side, by his bold and effective gunnery dispersed them, with considerable loss, and we lost the opportunity to charge. Camping near the bridge, a squadron under Lieutenant John V. Hungerford was sent to picket the road about New Kent Courthouse. The night was very dark, and near the Courthouse this squadron encountered the enemy's pickets and drove them back. It joined us early in the morning in time to make a forced march to Gaines' Mill to witness, as we were informed, the surrender of McClellan's army. We were mistaken, and, retracing our steps wearily back to Forge Bridge, we crossed it, and directed our line of march towards Malvern Hill, and halted at a late hour, and slept in the falling rain by the roadside. It seemed a singular fact that as we marched this evening we could see plainly the flashes of light from the guns at Malvern Hill, but heard no sound of artillery from the terrible conflict enacted there. Early in the morning we reached the scene of the fight, and were drawn up in line, and remained so until near night, the rain falling heavily all day. About nightfall we bivouacked with the trees for our shelter. Being without rations, an officer with a detail of men was sent out to scour the country and purchase beeves. Proceeding a short distance, this detail found seven fine bullocks left by the enemy, and, having driven them to camp, the men were soon busily engaged in butchering them, and