Page:History of the Ninth Virginia Cavalry in the War Between the States.djvu/47

Rh passed over to Shepherdstown to procure fresh horses to replace those killed or disabled at Boonsboro'. In the afternoon of September 16th the regiment, supporting a masked battery, witnessed the advance of McClellan's army and the commencement of the battle of Sharpsburg. We remained on the extreme left until morning, and were then ordered to the rear of the centre of our lines. Major Lewis and Captain John Murphy, who had been left in Hanover, rejoined the regiment to-day. Though exposed to shells throughout the day no casualties occurred among our men. We bivouacked at night on the Sharpsburg 'pike. The next day we were ordered to collect the stragglers from the ranks of our army. These brave men, exhausted by toil and hunger, and without ammunition, were found in numbers in the corn-fields.

Replacing the infantry outposts as they retired after nightfall, our regiment held the extreme left of our line. This was regarded as full of danger. The right wing of the army was at Sharpsburg, and the left some two and a half miles north of it. A vigorous pursuit at dawn was expected by all, and, owing to the remoteness of our position from the point of crossing at Shepherdstown, we concluded the enemy on the right would reach it before we could. In moving to the posts assigned us, our march was over the fields so hotly contested by Hooker and Jackson. The dead in many places covered the ground. Near our reserve straw had been strewn over a large surface, and hundreds of wounded Federals collected and laid upon it. Surgeons with numerous assistants, were in charge of them. Poor fellows! intense suffering was unavoidable, and many, sinking under it, slept their last long sleep.

The sound of axes, falling trees and moving wagons kept us on the alert during the night. The bugle calls in the enemy's camp, beginning about three o'clock in the morning, caused some anxiety. They died away, however, as did the tramping of their horses. The signal gun was fired about sunrise. We fell quietly back, and crossed the river before