d to concentrate them rumor saith not.

General McClellan did not go far enough at first. After the defeat of
Pegram, at Rich mountain, and Garnett, at Laurel Hill, the Southern army
of this section was utterly demoralized. It scattered, and the men
composing it, who were not captured, fled, terror stricken, to their
homes. We could have marched to Staunton without opposition, and taken
possession of the very strongholds the enemy is now fortifying against
us. If in our advanced position supplies could not have been obtained
from the North, the army might have subsisted off the country. Thus, by
pushing vigorously forward, we could have divided the enemy's forces,
and thus saved our army in the East from humiliating defeat. This is the
way it looks to me; but, after all, there may have been a thousand good
reasons for remaining here, of which I know nothing. One thing, however,
is, I think, very evident: a successful army, elated with victory, and
eager to advance, is not likely to be defeated by a dispirited opponent.
One-fourth, at least, of the strength of this army disappeared when it
heard of the rebel triumphs on the Potomac.

* * * * *

Latter part of August the writer was sent to Ohio for recruits for the
regiment, and did not return to camp until the middle of September.

SEPTEMBER 1861.

19. Reached camp yesterday at noon. My recruits arrived to-day.

The enemy was here in my absence in strength and majesty, and repeated,
with a slight variation, the grand exploit of the King of France, by

"Marching up the hill with twenty thousand men,
And straightway marching down again."

There was lively skirmishing for a few days, and hot work expected; but,
for reasons unknown to us, the enemy retired precipitately.

On Sunday morning last fifty men of the Sixth Ohio, when on picket, were
surprised and captured. My friend, Lieutenant Merrill, fell into the
hands of the enemy, and is now probably on his way to Castle Pinckney.
Further than this our rebellious friends did us no damage. Our men, at
this point, killed Colonel Washington, wounded a few others, and further
than this inflicted but little injury upon the enemy. The country people
near whom the rebels encamped say they got to fighting among themselves.
The North Carolinians were determined to go home, and regiments from
other States claimed that their term of service had expired, and wanted
to