Page:History of the Ninth Virginia Cavalry in the War Between the States.djvu/83

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CHAPTER VIII.


Returning to Middleburg—Rendezvous at Salem—In the Rear of Meade's Army—At Fairfax Courthouse—Expecting a Fight Near Dranesville—Fording the Potomac—Chasing Scott's Nine Hundred–Capturing Wagon-Train Near Rockville—Marching Northward—At Westminster—At Hanover—At Carlisle—On to Gettysburg—Fighting on the Left at Rummell's Barn.



On the morning of June 22d we descended the mountain, and, passing through Upperville and Middleburg, observed many depredations committed by the enemy. We saw some of the graves of our fallen comrades, and numerous others of Federal soldiers, reminding us of the deadly strife in which we had been engaged on the two preceding days. In one place near where we had fought, the head-board showed that six members of the First Maine Cavalry had been laid in a common grave. We encountered no enemy until beyond Middleburg. Then, retracing our steps a short distance, we camped a few miles back near the Upperville 'pike, where we remained a day or two picketing towards the enemy. We then made a forced march to Salem, and reached its vicinity at a late hour. We here found a large Confederate cavalry force assembled. At two o'clock on the following morning we were again in the saddle moving towards Thoroughfare Gap, where we witnessed the cannonade of a wagon-train, and, continuing our march, bivouacked near Buckland. The day following we passed through Brentsville, and halted early in the afternoon near Wolf Run Shoals, on the Occoquan. Leave of absence was granted to Major Waller and some company officers, and the men whose horses were unfit for service were furloughed.

We were in motion early next morning—June 27th—with

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