Sullenly, as the foe advanced, we fell back in the direction of Port Republic, determined, when attacked by Fremont’s overwhelming army, to fight to the last man. At length we halted at Cross Keys, and made preparations to pass our wagons and prisoners over the crazy old bridge, which afforded us the only means of escaping the destruction which threatened us. Therefore, forming his army in line of battle on the morning of the 8th of June, to keep Fremont in check, Jackson moved his prisoners upon the bridge, but scarcely had the first of them crossed when they were surprised by a squadron of Shields’ cavalry, that dashed into the town of Port Republic, and who speedily captured the guard and released the prisoners. Indeed, General Jackson himself narrowly escaped. Hastening back, however, he brought forward a body of cavalry, and charging them in turn recaptured not only all he had lost, but many of the enemy beside.From the prisoners he learned that Shields was rapidly approaching with a large force from McDowell’s army, and they expressed themselves confident that we would be crushed between him and Fremont.
Things looked gloomy enough, it was true, but such was the confidence of the troops in Jackson that our situation caused little or no uneasiness. Quickly detaching his own division from the line of battle he had formed in front of Fremont, he placed it in position to hold Shields in check, and at the same time cover the passage of the bridge, whilst Ewell, with his little division of five thousand men, was to fight Fremont’s twenty-five thousand. Thus when the battle commenced the Confederate lines presented the singular spectacle of two armies standing back to back, facing a foe in front and rear, and but three miles apart.
About ten o’clock the enemy moved to the attack upon Ewell in beautiful order, and first struck his left, which was barely a skirmish line of the First Maryland supporting Griffin’s Baltimore Battery. On came the enemy until they had arrived within a hundred yards of us, when the deadly fire from our Mississippi rifles and the grape and canister from Griffin drove them back in confusion. Again they advanced and took position about three hundred yards distant, when they opened upon us a most terrible fire from the Belgium gun. Fortunately we were posted in a skirt of woods, and were well protected from their fire. For hours this desperateconflict continued, the enemy making repeated attempts to penetrate our line, but every assault was repelled with heavy loss to the assailants. And during those precious hours Jackson was accomplishing his purpose of passing his trains and provisions over the old bridge.
All day long Ewell fought on with the same troops and held the same line of battle, for there were none to relieve those first put in, and these the enemy were unable to drive one foot. The odds were fearful indeed—five to one; but we were desperate men, fighting for our lives and liberties. At length relief came to us in the declining day; and how anxiously, we watched the sun go down that evening, for we were well nigh worn out from seven hour’s incessant fighting. At dark the firing almost entirely ceased, and we still held the ground we did in the morning, and Jackson’s trains were safely over the river.
The loss of the First Maryland in this engagement was severe, although we fought mostly under cover of the woods, but so terrible was the enemy’s fire that it was almost impossible to expose for an instant any part of the body without being struck. It is strange to say not a single man was killed outright, though we had more than thirty wounded out of one hundred and seventy-five men; several of whom, however, afterwards died. In this fight General George H. Steuart, who was in command of the Maryland line, was desperately wounded inthe breast by a grape shot, and General Elzey, who commanded the left, was wounded in the leg.
Late that night, leaving our fires brightly burning to deceive the enemy, we stealthily moved from before them and commenced to cross the bridge, and by daylight the last man had reached the longed-for shore, and Jackson was safe. As the last foot left it, the bridge was fired in many places, and having been filled with combustible material, was almost instantly enveloped in flames. Great indeed must have been the surprise and chagrin of the “great explorer,” as at daylight he beheld the lurid flames and dense black smoke that ascended high up to heaven, and heralded to him the escape of the wily foe he had believed inextricably within his toils.
But our work was not yet done; for six thousand men and a battery of artillery of Shields’ command, under General Tyler, held a strong position right in our path, and must be disposed of. They had been silent spectators of the passage of the bridge, never offering to molest us in the least, and Jackson had refrained from attacking them until he had escaped from his more powerful antagonist. But now they must be got rid of, and for that purpose General Dick Taylor and his Louisiana and two Virginia brigades were moved down the river side, and a vigorous attack made upon the enemy’s position. They were repulsed, however, with heavy loss, but a second attempt proved more successful,and the enemy was driven from his position with terrible slaughter, and the battery captured. In this engagement, which was of but two hours’ duration, the enemy lost over two thousand in killed and wounded, besides nearly a thousand prisoners.
During the latter part of the battle of Port Republic Fremont’s army remained drawn up on the opposite bank of the river, unable to render any assistance to the unfortunate Tyler, and to whose destruction they were silent spectators. The battle over though, and whilst the Confederates were burying the dead and succoring the wounded of both sides, the brutal Fremont, wild with disappointment, opened his batteries upon the ambulance and burial parties, which fire killed many of his own wounded people, and compelled us to leave the balance on the field uncared for, and his dead unburied.
The battle of Port Republic closed Jackson’s Valley Campaign, for Fremont finding it useless to attempt to cope with his wily antagonist in his mountain fastness, retired in the direction of Winchester.
Never in his previous or subsequent campaigns did Jackson’s military genius and daring show to greater advantage than in this of the Valley of Virginia. In less than six weeks he had beaten the army of Milroy, destroyed that of Banks, baffled that of Fremont, and annihilated that of Tyler, and all with less than twelve thousand men; besidescapturing from the enemy millions worth of stores, &c.
From General Ewell’s official report of the Valley Campaign we take the following highly complimentary extract:
“The history of the Maryland regiment, gallantly commanded by Colonel Bradley T. Johnson during the campaign of the Valley, would be the history of every action from Front Royal to Cross Keys. On the 6th, near Harrisonburg, the Fifty-Eighth Virginia Regiment was engaged with the Pennsylvania “Bucktails,” the fighting being close and bloody. Colonel Johnson came up with his regiment in the hottest period, and by a dashing charge in flank drove the enemy off with heavy loss, capturing Lieutenant-Colonel Kane, commanding. In commemoration of this gallant conduct I ordered one of the captured “Bucktails” to be appended as a trophy to their flag. The action is worthy of acknowledgment from a higher source, more particularly as they avenged the death of the gallant General Ashby who fell at the same time. Four color bearers were shot down in succession, but each time the colors were caught before reaching the ground, and were finally borne by Corporal Daniel Shanks to the close of the action.
“On the 8th instant at Cross Keys they were opposed to three of the enemy’s regiments in succession.”
General Jackson, also, in his official report of the Valley Campaign, thus speaks of the First Maryland’s participation in the battle of Harrisonburg:
“Apprehending that the Federals would make a more serious attack, Ashby called for an infantry support. The brigade of General George H. Steuart was accordingly ordered forward. In a short time the Fifty-Eighth Virginia Regiment became engaged with a Pennsylvania Regiment called the Bucktails, when Colonel Johnson of the First Maryland Regiment coming up in the hottest period of the fire, charged gallantly into its flank, and drove the enemy with heavy loss from the field, capturing Lieutenant-Colonel Kane, commanding. In this skirmish our infantry loss was seventeen killed, fifty wounded and three missing. In this affair General Turner Ashby was killed. An official report is not an appropriate place for more than a passing notice of the distinguished dead; but the close relation which General Ashby bore to my command for most of the past twelve months will justify me in saying that as a partisan officer I never knew his superior. His daring was proverbial; his power of endurance almost incredible; his tone of character heroic, and his sagacity almost intuitive in divining the purpose and movement of the enemy.”
CHAPTER X.
On the afternoon and evening of the 9th, Jackson leisurely moved his almost exhausted troops up the mountain until he reached its summit, where he went into camp to afford rest to his men after their arduous campaign.
But there was work yet to be done, though the nature of which we were then totally ignorant. Jackson could not long remain idle, and three days after the battle of Port Republic found us moving down the mountain’s side in the direction of Weir’s Cave, where we again went into camp, and were given to understand that our stay would be a long one. But the veterans of Jackson’s division, who knew him best, shook their heads, and were heard to say, “with Jackson a long stay means a short one, with plenty of marching and fighting ahead, now mark it.” And so it proved in this instance, as will be seen.
The day after our arrival at Weir’s Cave, the First Maryland was ordered to Staunton to muster out companies H and I, whose terms of service had expired, and also to muster in a new company just arrived from Richmond under command of Captain Barry.
Before our departure General Ewell issued the following General Order complimenting the command upon their gallant bearing at Harrisonburg,and directing that one of the buck’s tail captured by them in that battle, should be appended to their colors:
Headquarters Third Division.
Headquarters Third Division.
Headquarters Third Division.
Headquarters Third Division.
General Orders, No. 30.
General Orders, No. 30.
General Orders, No. 30.
General Orders, No. 30.
In commemoration of the gallant conduct of the First Maryland Regiment on the 6th of June, when led by Colonel Bradley T. Johnson they drove back with loss the “Pennsylvania Bucktail Rifles” in the engagement near Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, Virginia, authority is given to have one of the captured “bucktails” (the insignia of the Federal Regiment,) appended to the color-staff of the First Maryland Regiment.
By order ofMaj. Gen. Ewell.
By order ofMaj. Gen. Ewell.
By order ofMaj. Gen. Ewell.
By order ofMaj. Gen. Ewell.
James Barbur, A. A. G.
James Barbur, A. A. G.
James Barbur, A. A. G.
James Barbur, A. A. G.
The farewell at Staunton with our comrades of companies H and I was a most affecting one. For more than a year we had shared the privations of the camp and the march, had stood shoulder to shoulder on more than one bloody field, and had learned to love each other as only a soldier can love his companion.
Our new company was composed principally of young men from the lower counties of Maryland, and was a fine body, although totally inexperienced. Captain Barry himself was an old soldier, having served in Mexico with considerable distinction.
From what we saw at Staunton, we were led to believe our stay would be a short one, for large bodies of troops were arriving from Richmond, and we did not doubt for a moment but we were destined up the valley after Fremont, and perhaps forthe invasion of Maryland. How great our mistake, and the transportation of these very troops was intended to convey that same impression to the enemy, and thereby keep McDowell from uniting with McClellan, while Lee carried out his great plan of raising the siege of Richmond with Jackson’s assistance.
And it succeeded; for the authorities at Washington were quickly apprised of the fact, and instead of sending McClellan the reinforcements he so earnestly plead for, they withheld them to repel the audacious Jackson, should he dare to cross the Potomac, which they did not doubt was his intention.
Suddenly, however, about the 22d of June, the whole army was put in motion, and marching to Staunton, took the immense trains that had been for some time quietly assembling there. Of our destination at first we had not the slightest conception, but that we were moving in thedirectionof Richmond was evident. Could anything have befallen General Lee? suggested itself, for everything indicated haste. By the time we had reached Frederickshall, however, it was generally understood we were destined to reinforce Lee, who, rumor had it, intended to surprise McClellan if possible in his fortifications. This was the terminus of the trip by rail, and disembarking we took the road by way of Ashland.
On the afternoon of the 26th, whilst marching rapidly, some four or five miles to the left ofMechanicsville, we were startled by heavy volleys of musketry and the roar of artillery coming from that direction. It was then I heard General Ewell, who was riding close by, exclaim, “that’s the programme! that’s the programme! I think we have them now!” It was but a few minutes after that the first Maryland, in the advance, encountered the enemy, and a sharp fight ensued. We drove them before us, however, for some distance, when we unexpectedly found ourselves in the presence of a heavy column, and were obliged to halt until our main body came up. During this time the utmost confusion seemed to prevail within the enemy’s lines, and shortly after we had discovered them they commenced to move precipitately to the rear.
That McClellan was surprised and utterly confounded, was now apparent, and that the next day would initiate a bloody fight no one doubted. As night was upon us, we determined to go into camp, not however until we had taken every precaution to guard against a surprise. The fighting at Mechanicsville still continued, and away in the night we could hear the rattle of musketry and see the explosion of shells.
The morning of the 27th June broke bright and beautiful, and long before the sun had risen the troops were on the march to attack the enemy. The men were in high spirits, and the rivalry was intense between those who had served with Jackson in the Valley and the reinforcements which hadreached us at Staunton, among which was Hood’s Texans, who were that day to win a name that will live forever.
We had marched but a few miles when a large body of troops were observed in motion to our right, and as General Jackson had received no notice that any Confederates would move in that direction, he very naturally supposed them to be the enemy, and immediately prepared to receive them, for they were coming directly towards us. Still fearful there might be some mistake, he withheld his artillery fire, but threw an occasional shell in their midst to discover if possible who they were. At the first shot they deployed their skirmishers with the most beautiful precision, and advanced across the open field with great regularity, whilst the heavy columns of infantry moved upon us, closeden masseunder cover of a wood. A fearful tragedy was now about to be enacted, and was only averted by the daring of Lieutenant George Booth, acting Adjutant of the First Maryland. From the first he had maintained they were our troops, whilst most of the officers, including General Jackson, were of the opinion they were not. The uniforms of the skirmishers were darker than we had ever before seen, and most of them wore white gaiters, something entirely unknown in the army of Jackson. Nearer and nearer they approached, and in a minute more we knew the mass of infantry must debouche into the plain, when the hand of friend would unwittingly beraised against friend. At this moment Lieutenant Booth, unable longer to restrain himself, without orders, dashed spurs into his horse, and at the risk of being shot to pieces, rode at full speed in the direction of the advancing skirmishers. We watched him with breathless anxiety until he reached the line, where halting a moment in conference with one of the officers, he wheeled his horse and galloped back to inform us it was Branch’s division of North Carolinians, which had lost its way. It was a great relief, and we congratulated each other when we met upon the timely discovery.
This affair, however, delayed us at least an hour, and we had no time to spare. Onward, then, we pressed, our advance occasionally skirmishing with the enemy, until we reached a dense pine forest, and here our troubles commenced. The guides were, or seemed to be, ignorant of the roads, and more than once we had to retrace our steps. Jackson was furious, and for the first time I saw him out of humor. Long before this he should have begun the fight, and here he was some distance from the field. Finally, however, we extricated ourselves, and soon after, about three o’clock in the afternoon, heavy skirmishing, and the occasional roar of artillery in our front, told us we were up with the enemy and developing his position.
As we neared the field the artillery and infantry fire increased in volume, and it was evident that the advanced troops of Jackson were hotly engaged, aswere those of Hill on our right. Steadily the rattle of musketry swelled as Jackson forwarded reinforcements, until it became almost deafening. But as hour after hour passed, and that awful fire did not recede, he began to show symptoms of uneasiness. Upon his success on the left depended everything. Should he fail the splendidly conceived plans of General Lee would fail also, and Richmond would be at the mercy of the invader. Was it a wonder, then, that he rode nervously to and fro, and appeared for the first time to fear that the gods of battle had forsaken him? Every eye was upon the great chieftain as he galloped along the lines of the troops held in reserve, and the anxious expression upon that heretofore immovable countenance was observable to all.
“General Elzey,” said he, riding up to that gallant officer, “move your brigade forward; this officer will show you to where you are most needed,” at the same time pointing to a member of his staff who, all covered with dust and the smoke of battle, had just ridden up.
“Good bye, Captain,” exclaimed the brave Captain William Shearer, of the Winchester Boomerangs in the Thirteenth Virginia, and a dear friend. “I hope to see you soon again;” and as his command filed by the poor fellow pressed my hand for the last time; for, alas, in a few minutes the brigade was cut to pieces, and he was carried from the field with a fatal wound in the head. And here, too, fellits heroic commander, Elzey, with a fearful wound through the face; and the dashing McDonald, of his staff, shot dead while performing prodigies of valor.
As these disasters came thick and fast, and the enemy seemed to defy his utmost efforts, the right hand of Jackson was more frequently extended towards heaven, as though invoking the aid of the great invisible Being there, and his horse moved more rapidly as he impatiently spurred through the ranks awaiting intelligence from the front.
“There goes Hood’s Texans!” exclaimed Colonel Johnson, as that splendid command, the last of our reserves, commenced to move. “If they fail, God help us;” and we all felt the truth of the observation.
The little First Maryland was now left all alone, for having been detached from Scott’s Virginia brigade after the battle of Port Republic, and to which we had been attached temporarily; we were not expected to take much part in the heavy fighting, but were reserved principally for skirmish duty.
“Colonel Johnson will remain where he is, and arrest all stragglers from the field,” was the order of General Jackson, as he put spurs to his horse and rode towards the front.
“I will until after you get out of sight, Mr. Jackson, but no longer,” the Colonel muttered.
“And neither would I, Johnson,” exclaimed a gentleman in citizen’s clothes, who at that momentthrew himself from a much jaded horse and advanced to his side. “I came here for my first fight, and it has got to be with the Maryland boys.”
Turning around what was my surprise to recognize in the person of our visitor Mr. George Kyle, (afterwards Major Kyle,) who had ridden from Richmond to be one of its defenders.
“Here, boys,” he continued, “I have some letters for you from home, just arrived by blockade-runner, and as they may be the last you will ever receive, I would advise you to lose no time in reading them;” and he commenced distributing to the eager troops the large package of letters in his possession. As he did so the musketry fire redoubled in intensity, and from the yell which followed we knew the Texans had grappled with the foe.
“Great God!” exclaimed Kyle, stopping midway in the distribution of the letters, “is it possible that men can cheer in the face of such a fire as that?”
“Attention, battalion,” was now the sharp command from our Colonel, and moving rapidly by the right flank we were on our way—we knew not whither. Our route lay through dense woods for some distance, and from whence we suddenly came into a broad plain, and away to our left burst upon the view the two armies desperately contending. As we then moved by the left flank into line of battle the splendid brigade of Georgians under Lawton came up on the run, and moving in front of us led the way towards the scene of strife. Swiftlythe two columns moved forward in the face of a terrible fire of musketry and artillery. Finding the fire too hot, Lawton soon ordered a halt, and his men lay down to shelter themselves from the flying bullets. But “Forward!” was the command of our Colonel, and onward through that storm of bullets moved the little First Maryland, which, as they passed over the prostrate bodies of the Georgians, were enthusiastically cheered. On, on, they moved through that vale of fire and death with the same precision as on battalion drill. Immediately in our front was a battery that had proved terribly destructive to our troops from the commencement of the battle. Again and again had it been charged, but without success. That battery Johnson was determined to assail, but our chances of success were slim, indeed.
Regiments broken and shattered were now met coming to the rear, and many of the men attached themselves to our command. One gallant fellow, the color bearer of Wright’s Legion, carried back some distance by the rush of his panic-stricken comrades, declared his flag should go no farther, and planting himself upon our left, rallied many of his companions. The First Maryland had thus been augmented to about four hundred men, and with these Johnson intended to charge the battery and its infantry supports.
Taking advantage of a rise in the ground, he halted the men under its shelter, and ordered themto rest preparatory to making the desperate assault. Scarcely had the command been given when Captain McHenry Howard, of General Charles Winder’s staff, galloped up with orders to remain where we were until that General could overtake us with the Stonewall Brigade. “The General has observed your movements, sir, and thinks the place too strong for you; we will, therefore, charge together.” In a few moments Jackson’s favorite brigade was with us, and, at the command of General Winder, we moved forward with irresistible impulse, and scrambling over the enemy’s breastwork of knapsacks, we swept everything before us.
The last charge had been made, and the last battery captured at Gaines’ Mills, and the right of McClellan’s army was seeking safety in flight.
Night was upon us, and completely exhausted, we threw ourselves upon the ground in the midst of the dead, wounded and dying, and despite the shrieks and cries and groans of anguish from hundreds around us, were soon wrapped in sleep.
The field next morning presented a ghastly spectacle, and the thousands of maimed and dismembered bodies attested the severity of the fight. Litter-bearers were moving in all directions, gathering the wounded, while burial parties were busily engaged with pick and spade digging the trenches in which were to rest those beyond all worldly cares and suffering. The camp-follower was also plying his avocation, and as he moved from one to anotherof his victims an expression of satisfaction or disappointment would escape him as he counted the yield of each. Some of the men, however, were in search of boots and shoes, which they so much needed, as thousands of Jackson’s command were barefooted, and had been for weeks.
As I walked over the field I observed one of them, a North Carolinian, with his foot upon the stomach of a dead man, tugging vigorously at a boot, which after a little while he succeeded in getting off. I stopped to see how he would get the other one, for the leg had been shattered to pieces just above the knee by a cannon ball, and hung but by a few shreds. A desperate effort separated the leg from the body, and the fellow was in a quandary. Looking around he espied me, when approaching, he extended the ghastly stump, and said, “Mister, will you please hold onter this tarnel thing ontil I git the boot off?” The assistance he asked for I declined to render, when shouldering his prize he started off muttering, “If you won’t, some of the boys will, that’s all.”
CHAPTER XI.
About ten o’clock on the morning of the 28th, Ewell’s division was ordered to move on the York River Railroad, and destroy it at Dispatch Station. As we advanced the enemy set fire to his stores to prevent them falling into our hands. Vast quantities were captured, however, and for many days we lived on desiccated vegetables, and indulged in an occasional cup of coffee. But little resistance was offered our advance, under General J. E. B. Stuart, and without the loss of a man we reached our destination about three o’clock in the afternoon. Working parties were at once detailed from the various regiments, and set to work tearing up the track.
Whilst thus engaged, General Ewell and staff went out to reconnoitre, but presently returned at full speed. Riding up to Colonel Johnson, he directed that officer to send some men to “drive those fellows off who had given him chase.” I was ordered to take a dozen men of my company, and the Colonel prepared to accompany me. After crossing a ravine by a narrow path I came into a large open space, when to my surprise, not over a hundred yards in front of me, I observed a mounted officer and two attendants. Commanding my men in a low voice to make no demonstration, we walked quietly towards them. Not to be caught in thisway, however, they wheeled their horses and slowly rode off. Being in advance of my men, and seeing they were about to escape me, I levelled my Mississippi, which I invariably carried on such occasions, and fired. The shot was hastily aimed, and instead of taking effect upon the officer, for whom it was intended, it struck the man behind him, who, raising himself convulsively in his saddle, fell forward on his horse’s neck, and would have rolled to the ground had he not been caught and held by one of his companions. My men then fired, but without effect. At this instant Colonel Johnson, who had not yet overtaken us, dashed through the woods, exclaiming as he approached: “Look to your left, Captain, look to your left!” I did so, and what was my surprise to behold a heavy column of cavalry drawn up but a short way off, and apparently deliberating whether to charge or retire. I was in a bad scrape. A half mile from the main body, with a dozen men, and they, too, with unloaded guns. For a moment I thought I was gone; but Colonel Johnson, whose presence of mind never forsook him in the midst of the most trying difficulties, wheeled his horse towards the woods and cried at the top of his voice: “Come on, my brave men, here we have a whole regiment of them!” This had the desired effect, and the gallant troopers went off like the wind, nor did they stop until they had ridden a mile, when again halting they drew up in line.
General Ewell, hearing the firing, soon after joined us, when Griffin was ordered up with a section of the Baltimore Light Artillery. Scarcely had he fired the first shot, however, when there issued from the woods in the rear of the cavalry three or four puffs of smoke, and as many shells came shrieking over and around us, and almost at the same time a battery on our right opened an enfilading fire that made the position untenable.
“Some things can be done as well as some others!” exclaimed the General. “Captain Griffin, you will limber up and go to the rear.”
By twelve o’clock the next day, Sunday, the 29th of June, the railroad had been destroyed for a considerable distance, and we suspended our labors.
During the afternoon I took a stroll through the enemy’s deserted camps, and feeling fatigued, I laid down on the railroad bank and commenced to read a chapter from a little Testament I had picked up in my rambles. I had been thus engaged perhaps half an hour, when on raising my head I was astonished to behold, about two miles up the road on the other side of the Chickahominy, a locomotive and train of cars standing upon the track. Returning immediately to camp I reported the fact to Colonel Johnson, who informed General Ewell, and he, with General Trimble and several others, repaired to the spot. Glasses were brought into requisition, but to save us we could not make out what they were doing. During my absence a tree had been cutdown and rolled in front of the engine to conceal their movements. For half an hour we were lost in conjecture, when suddenly the tree was removed from the track, and the train, all enveloped in flames and smoke, came rushing with fearful speed directly towards us.
That it was an infernal machine of some sort instantly suggested itself, and a general stampede ensued, we forgetting at the moment that the end of the bridge towards the enemy had been burned the evening before, and therefore the impossibility of the train reaching us. On the fiery mass rushed, every moment increasing its speed, until it reached the bridge, when it plunged headlong into the shallow stream, and a vast pillar of white smoke sprang upwards into the sky, which rose higher and higher, and continually unfolded itself from within in waves of snowy vapor, until the sun was hidden from our view. The sound of the explosion instantly followed, and the earth shook and trembled as though riven by an earthquake. It was a spectacle of inexpressible grandeur, and one never to be forgotten by the few who witnessed it. For a moment we were held spell-bound; when General Ewell, who was the first to recover his presence of mind, exclaimed “That was an ordnance train. Have the troops formed immediately, for the enemy is retreating, and we will be of no further use on this side of the Chickahominy.” And his conclusion seemed correct, for now in every direction could be seen the smoke from burning stores.
In the midst of a drenching rain which set in soon after, the troops retraced their steps until midnight, when we went into bivouac. Early next day our march was resumed, and soon after we crossed the Chickahominy near where McClellan had had his headquarters.
Now at every step something left by the enemy was encountered to attract our attention. Pontoon trains, wagons, cooking utensils, barrels of beef, and boxes of crackers; a balloon with apparatus complete for manufacturing the gas; towers, lookouts, &c., &c. Upon the Charles City road we found a great many of his dead, still unburied, killed the day before in an encounter with Magruder. That McClellan was retreating towards Harrison’s Landing by way of Malvern Hill was well known to our General-in-Chief, and in that direction we were ordered to direct our steps.