Page:History of the Ninth Virginia Cavalry in the War Between the States.djvu/50

44 and in a short time it rendered very many of them unfit for service. It became necessary to establish a camp remote from the army for the treatment of the diseased horses.

Our pickets on the Potomac while here grew quite friendly with those of the enemy. The two parties would leave their clothing on either shore and, meeting in the middle of the river, enjoy a bath together. Orders were issued forbidding the practice.

About the middle of October, whilst we were on picket the Union cavalry under command of General Pleasanton, crossed the river in large force at early dawn, and vigorously attacked our outpost under Captain Waller, occupying a position just outside of Shepherdstown. Two of his men, in trying to reach a point for observation, were captured. Our reserve, composed of two squadrons, was in camp at the intersection of the road to Newcomer's Mill with that leading from Martinsburg to the Leetown 'pike. Their advance, despite the efforts of Waller to check it, was so rapid that we barely had mounted when the columns of the enemy appeared on the hills half a mile in our front. One squadron, dismounted, was placed in ambush behind some large rocks on the left of the road, and the other was held back a hundred yards or so in the rear to await the onset. The enemy advanced rapidly and boldly, but before getting abreast of the ambuscade the dismounted men fired with but little effect. This fire, however, threw the Federal horsemen into confusion, and, on seeing our mounted men charging, they broke and fled precipitately. We pursued at full speed for some distance, when a large body of dismounted men and two pieces of artillery were discovered, so posted as to command the road. The rally was then sounded, and our men reformed on their former ground.

The relief regiment under Colonel J. M. Drake now reached us, and, though he was the senior officer, he declined to interfere with the arrangements that had been made, and gladly aided in carrying them out, taking the position