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178 spared from the line of battle, and to spare them was a risk. Lee's baggage and rear were saved. There was nothing else to protect them. This was an exploit that excited my admiration. Never was anything better managed. 1em

October 1st, 1863.

I have the honor to report the operations of my command from the commencement of the march from Culpeper Courthouse until the return of the army to that place.

Tuesday, June 16th, the brigade marched to Sperryville; 17th, to Mud run, in Fauquier county. These two days were excessively hot, and on the 17th many cases of sun-stroke occurred.

At Gaines' Cross-roads the wagons were sent by the way of Front Royal; Rice's battallionbattalion [sic] was detached as a guard to the division train; 18th, marched to Piedmont; 19th, to Ashby's Gap, where Rice's battallionbattalion [sic] rejoined the command; 20th, crossed the Shenandoah river at Berry's Ford; 21st, recrossed and took position in line of battle near Paris to resist a threatened attack of the enemy; 22d, returned to camp on west side of the river; 23d, obtained 503 new arms from Winchester; 24th, marched to Summit Point; 25th, to Martinsburg; 26th, crossed PotamacPotomac [sic] river, camped near Williamsport; 27th, marched by the way of Hagerstown, Middleburg and Greencastle, and camped five miles from Chambersburg; 28th, marched through Chambersburg and camped one mile beyond; remained in camp until the 30th, when we marched to Fayetteville; 1st, July, Anderson's and Johnson's divisions and General Ewell's wagon train occupied the road until 4 o'clock P. M., when we marched to a point on the Gettysburg road some two miles from that place, going into camp at 12 P. M. The command was ordered to move at 4 A. M. on the morning of the 2d, but did not leave camp until about sunrise. We reached the hill overlooking Gettysburg with only a slight detention from trains in the way, and moved on the right of the Third corps, and