e got away at a fortunate time, as the Second
Brigade of Jackson's division was flanked by the enemy and driven over
the place a few minutes later. One company in the Twenty-first Virginia
Regiment lost, in a few minutes, seventeen men killed, besides those
wounded. The flankers, however, were soon attacked by fresh troops, who
drove them back and took a large number of prisoners, who walked and
looked, as they passed, as if they had done their best and had nothing
of which to be ashamed. By nightfall the whole of Pope's army had been
driven back, and we held the entire battlefield. This battle was called
Cedar Run by the Confederates, and Slaughter's Mountain by the Federals.

On the following day we retraced our steps and occupied an excellent
camping-ground near Gordonsville. Shortly after our arrival, my brother
David, who had been absent on sick-leave, returned from home, bringing a
large mess-chest of delicious edibles, which we enjoyed immensely,
having Willie Preston, from Lexington, who had just joined the College
company, to dine with us. From a nearby cornfield we managed to supply
ourselves with roasting ears, and the number a young Confederate could
consume in a day would have been ample rations for a horse.

While here we had visits from some of our former messmates. One of them,
Frank Singleton, after being captured at Port Republic had been taken to
Fort Warren, where were in confinement as prisoners members of the
Maryland legislature, Generals Pillow and Buckner, and others captured
at Fort Donelson. Singleton gave glowing accounts of the "to-do" that
was made over him, he being the only representative from the army of
Stonewall, whose fame was now filling the world. His presence even
became known outside of prison-walls, and brought substantial tokens of
esteem and sympathy.

Gregory, who we supposed had received his death-wound at Winchester in
May, after escaping into our lines spent a day or two with us. Both,
however, having gotten discharges, left us--Singleton to go to Kentucky,
his native State, to raise a company of cavalry under Morgan, and
Gregory to become captain of ordnance.

An extensive move was evidently now on foot, and about August 17th it
began, proving to be by far the most eventful of that eventful year. On
reaching the Rapidan, a few miles distant, we were ordered to leave all
baggage we could not carry on our backs, and in that August weather we
chose to make our burdens ligh