legs and arms, and in many cases hastening their death thereby. This worse than murder by men, the majority of whom, when at home, had never even witnessed a capital operation, cannot be too highly condemned. (The writer is personally acquainted with professional men of this sort, who came out of the service first-class carvers, but the number of brave fellows sacrificed to bring about this state of proficiency is unknown.) It was now ascertained that the Confederate army of General Lee was making rapid marches towards Maryland. To checkmate this movement our columns were at once ordered on a retrograde movement in the direction of Washington. Reaching Alexandria, we passed up the Potomac, crossing at the long bridge, and moving forward to Georgetown where a halt of one day was made, the command departing the following morning for Frederick City, Maryland, which was said to be occupied by the rebels. A day's march brought us beyond Rockville, Maryland, where we encamped for the night. At 2 o'clock, on the afternoon of September 5th, the regiment marched to Monocacy Junction, where the rebels had a short time previous destroyed the railroad bridge.
