Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 27.djvu/153

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and on August 4th we marched to Liberty Mills again. These move- ments are occasioned by reports from the enemy in our front, who are now commanded by General Pope, who says he has been doing ^ivat things in the western army, and in his order to his troops on taking command, "said he had never seen anything but the backs of the rebels; his headquarters were in the saddle, and he wanted the task of guarding his rear stopped, as an invading army had no rear; it was useless to make any provision to look after communica- tions in that direction." In less than a month he found out that he did not have any rear, but he would have given anything if he could have gotten there.

MARCHED TO ORAN(.I

On August jth we left Liberty Mills and marched to Orange Court- house. We were joined on the morning of the 8th by A. P. Hill's division and Stafford's brigade, and Jackson's force now con- sists of Jackson's, Ewell's and A. P. Hill's division and Stafford's brigade. We marched early towards the Rapid Ann. The advance meeting with slight resistance at Barnett's Ford, just before we got to this ford we passed a "Quaker Cannon" that the advance had rigged up, it was the hind part of a wagon with a black log fixed on it, the men ran this out on a hill in full sight of the Yanks at the ford, made the advance with a cheer and the enemy retreated, they could not stand the sight of the cannon. I saw at this ford soon after crossing, the first man who claimed to be wounded by a sabre, his ear was badly cut.

We take the direct road for Culpeper Courthouse and ford Robin- son river in the evening, and about sundown go into camp in a wood near the road. About midnight we are awakened by firing of musketry and the sizzling of balls falling amongst us, each man gets up and into his place in ranks quicker than I ever saw it done, and when the order was given to " take arms," every man had his gun ready for action, we were marched out to the road and halted to await orders from headquarters. The firing soon ceased. It turned out to be from some Yankee cavalry on their way from Madison Courthouse to Culpeper Courthouse, who did not know of our advance and on being halted by our guard commenced to back out when a brisk skirmish took place, they making off as soon as they could. In this affair my regiment got into ranks directly from their beds and when we were marched back to our camp the laugh began, and those old