Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 07.djvu/417

Rh, who, writhing under a painful attack of inflammatory rheumatism, nevertheless kept with his command until now.

At one o'clock at night the brigades, with noiseless march, moved out. This precaution was necessary on account of the enemy's having possession of Bull Run mountain, which in the daytime commanded a view of every movement of consequence in that region. Hancock's corps occupied Thoroughfare gap.

Moving to the right we passed through Glasscock's gap, without serious difficulty, and marched for Haymarket. I had previously sent Major Mosby, with some picked men, through to gain the vicinity of Dranesville, find where a crossing was practicable, and bring intelligence to me near Gum Spring to-day (25th).

As we neared Haymarket we found that Hancock's corps was en route through Haymarket for Gum Spring, his infantry well distributed through his trains. I chose a good position and opened with artillery with effect on his passing column, scattering men, wagons and horses, in wild confusion—disabled one of the enemy's caissons, which he abandoned, and compelled him to advance in order of battle to compel us to desist.

As Hancock had the right of way on my road, I sent Fitz. Lee's brigade to Gainesville to reconnoitre and devote the remainder of the day to grazing our horses, the only forage procurable in the country. The best of our information represented the enemy still at Centreville, Union Mills and Wolf Run Shoals. I sent a dispatch to General Lee concerning Hancock's movement, and moved back to deceive the enemy to Buckland. It rained heavily that night. To carry out my original design of passing west of Centreville would have involved so much detention on account of the presence of the enemy, that I determined to cross Bull run lower down and strike through Fairfax for the Potomac next day. The sequel shows this to have been the only practicable course. We marched through Brentsville to the vicinity of Wolf Run Shoals, and had to halt again in order to graze our horses, which hard marching without grain was fast breaking down. We met no enemy to-day (26th).

On the following morning (27th), having ascertained that on the night previous the enemy had disappeared entirely from Wolf Run Shoals, a strongly fortified position on the Occoquan, I marched to that point and thence directly for Fairfax station, sending General Fitz. Lee to the right to cross by Burke station, and effect a junction at Fairfax Courthouse, or farther on, according to