rough selected me to be his acting
assistant adjutant-general. As this new sphere of duty required that I
should have a horse, and as it was useless to search for one in the
neighborhood of Fredericksburg, I sought and obtained a furlough in
order that I might seek one in my native county. The time was limited to
five days,--not long enough, as Colonel Brockenbrough knew; but there
was an understanding between us that if I overstayed the limit nothing
would be said about it.

A tramp of a hundred miles was before me, but that was a matter of
indifference to my buoyant body and practiced feet. It was my intention
to cross the river at Tappahannock, and proceed down the Neck to my
brother's home, but the southern bank was picketed by the 15th Virginia
cavalry, which prohibited my passage. Walking back into the town and
finding Colonel John Critcher, who was in command of the regiment, I
explained my mission and requested the liberty of passing through his
line. He informed me that on the other side the 8th Illinois cavalry
were making a raid, and urged that I should not cross and run the risk
of being captured. Telling him that I was familiar with the country and
that I would avoid the enemy, I persisted in the request, being as
desirous of a horse as was Richard III in his final battle. Having
obtained his reluctant written permission I decided that instead of
crossing at Tappahannock I would walk down as far as Owen Hill in
Middlesex county and thence seek a passage over into Lancaster. A negro,
whose service I secured in return for Confederate money, transported me
in a canoe, and landed me at Morattico. During the passage I kept a
sharp lookout up and down the wide river for Yankee gunboats, fearing
that even if I should escape Scylla I might fall into Charybdis; and
indeed some of the marauding bluecoats had but recently departed from
the farm.

Having dined with the hospitable family, I set out for my brother's home
fifteen miles away, not knowing that one part of the enemy was encamped
on his farm and another part in the yard. Being informed that the
hostile invaders were traversing all parts of the county in search of
booty, I sought to evade them by walking not upon the familiar roads but
in the woods parallel with them. When I drew near the county-seat,
instead of crossing the road as prudence suggested I thought I would
walk the road a short distance and then pass over, for my shoes had
become uncomfortably s