Page:History of the Ninth Virginia Cavalry in the War Between the States.djvu/68

62 of them, who soon returned to us. bringing ten or twelve prisoners, and what were equally acceptable, as many good horses, well equipped, to supply the places of those captured from us. We had one man—George Garrison, a private in Company A—killed.

The regiment remained inactive until about the middle of May, when the Federal army advanced. The cavalry in force crossed at Kelly's Mills, driving before them the dismounted pickets of the Ninth Regiment on guard at that point. After crossing they engaged the Thirteenth Regiment, which was pushed forward on the plain below Miller's Hill. Our regiment occupied the hill. The skirmishing was continued until near noon, by which time General Stuart discovered that the main Union army was advancing rapidly to the Rapidan. We moved speedily to that point, the Fourth Regiment preceding us. Charges were made upon the rear of the enemy by some of the squadrons of this regiment, and some thirty or forty prisoners brought in. These prisoners were placed in our custody about dark, and orders were received to return to Culpeper Courthouse. The rain and mud made our march tedious and slow, encumbered, as we were, with prisoners on foot. We reached the Courthouse barely in time to draw rations and resume the saddle by sunrise. We continued the march to Rapidan Bridge, where the rear squadron was left to guard it. Another squadron under Major Waller was detached to watch the fords above, and the remaining three were dismounted to feed. Before the horses were fed, the squadron at the river were skirmishing with the advance parties of the enemy, and men were at once put in the rifle-pits, and several cannon posted, to hold the bridge and ford. Thus we remained during the night, supported by the Thirteenth Regiment.

On the next morning General W. H. F. Lee, commanding the brigade, anxious to find out what force was pressing us, directed the present writer to take a squadron and break through their line of skirmishers beyond the river, and draw