Mount Vernon by seven, Fort Washington by eight, and arrived at Alexandria
by ten o'clock. Both batteries, horses and all, were unloaded by five
o'clock P. M. Marched through Alexandria at once, and went to camp outside
the city.

_Friday, August 29._--Alexandria. Our battery, accompanied by the Seventh
Michigan Regiment, and Fifty-ninth New York, left this morning, going
towards the Chain Bridge, on which an attack was anticipated. We passed
through Fort Runyon, on the road leading to Manassas, turning off to Fort
Ethan Allen, covering the Chain Bridge. The fort was occupied by the One
Hundred and Twenty-third Pennsylvania, Seventy-first New York, and
Eleventh New Jersey regiments. We took position one mile in front of it.

_Saturday, August 30._--Near Fort Ethan Allen. Heavy cannonading in the
direction of Manassas Junction. Two regiments of cavalry are making a
reconnoissance towards Leesburg. At five o'clock P. M. we went to Fort
Ethan Allen, crossed the Potomac over Chain Bridge, and marched until
eight o'clock. Coming up to General Dana's brigade, we halted for the
night.

_Sunday, August 31._--At three o'clock in the morning, all the troops of
our corps marched through Georgetown, crossed the Potomac, over the
Aqueduct Bridge, and proceeded on the road to Fairfax Court House. After
sunrise it commenced to rain. Paroled prisoners, captured from Stonewall
Jackson, passing us on the road, gave us no bright picture of the second
battle of Bull Run. We halted at one o'clock, about four miles from the
Court House. About seven o'clock P. M., order arrived from General
Sedgwick, to take up our march. After various marching and
counter-marching, we arrived at the Court House by one o'clock in the
night.

_Monday, September 1._--Fairfax Court House. At seven o'clock A. M. we
proceeded to Germantown, going in position, facing Chantilly. Troops were
coming in from Centreville all day. General McDowell's corps, who lost
nearly all their artillery, amongst them. An engagement, lasting from five
o'clock P. M. till dark, was going on at Chantilly amidst a heavy thunder
shower. Generals Kearney and Stevens were killed. About six o'clock P. M.
we fell back to Fairfax Court House, camping on the same spot we occupied
a year ago, while under Captain Reynolds, previous to the first battle of
Bull Run.

_Tuesday, September 2._--Fairfax Court House. During the whole night,
troops were marching to the defences of Washington. Pope's