How this duty was discharged was evidenced by a complimentary letter from General Hill. We left Middleburg after his whole train—wagon and ordnance—had passed, with nearly two days' start, and just as the Federal army made its entry into the lower part of the town.
From thence the troop marched, after destroying the ferries, via Salem, to Warrenton, a second, but a sadder, entry to that lovely town and patriotic people; and thence to report, via Richmond, to the regiment, on the Peninsula. This march was successfully made—halting a few hours in Richmond.
Here the connection of the writer with this fine body of men ceased; he was ordered to report to his old commander, General Beauregard, at Corinth, Mississippi—remaining on staff duty until assigned as Colonel of the Second Confederate cavalry—a regiment numbering on its rolls over one thousand men. Assigned to the command of the cavalry of the right wing of the army (General Polk), the march was made from Mississippi to Kentucky, and throughout that campaign (four months of it with General Forrest); then again with General Beauregard in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, to close of war.
Lieutenant Charles Old was elected Captain, and so remained until his promotion as Major, when Lieutenant Joseph Hobson succeeded him.
The record of the Powhatan troop throughout the war was a brilliant one; but from this date (1862) comes most properly from those officers immediately in command. Their old Captain, who loved and admired them, was in the far West on duty, and never again saw them as an organized body. But to the survivors this imperfect sketch is affectionately addressed, by their
Richmond, Va., July, 22d, 1880.
