wenty-four
hours. It has been many years since, but how vividly some scenes are
recalled, others vague and the order of succession forgotten. After
passing through Thoroughfare Gap we moved on toward Manassas Junction,
arriving within a mile or two of the place shortly after dawn, when we
came upon a sleepy Federal cavalryman mounted on a fine young horse.
Lieutenant Brown took him and his arms in charge and rode the horse for
a few days, but, learning that he had been taken from a farmer in the
neighborhood, returned him to his owner. As we approached the Junction
several cannon-shots warned us that some force of the enemy was there,
but not General Pope, as we had left him many miles in our rear.

In the regiment of our cavalry, acting as a vanguard, I had but two
acquaintances--old college-mates--and these were the only two members
of the command I met. One of them gave me a loaf of baker's bread, the
other presented me with a handful of cigars, and they both informed us
that they had made a big capture, which we would soon see. The samples
they had brought made us the more anxious. Arriving in sight of the
place, we saw the tracks of both railroads closely covered for half a
mile with the cars filled with army supplies of every description. The
artillery that had been firing a short time before opened on us again,
while we were preparing to help ourselves, but not before one of my
messmates had secured a cup of molasses. With the help of this, my loaf
of bread was soon devoured, and with a relish contrasting very favorably
with my sudden loss of appetite for the beans at Cedar Creek a few
months before. On this occasion we managed to appease our hunger with
very little interruption from the flying shells. The firing, however,
was at long range and soon ceased, and we resumed the march, saddened to
part with so rich a booty and the opportunity to fill our stomachs and
empty haversacks.

As we moved quietly along with General Jackson and one or two of his
staff riding at the front of the battery, there suddenly appeared, about
a mile ahead of us, a line of bayonets glistening in the sunlight. As we
halted I heard General Jackson and those about him questioning each
other and speculating as to what troops they could be, whether friend
or foe. Their bayonets were evidently too bright for our war-worn
weapons, and the direction from which they came and, a little later, the
color of their uniforms being distinguishable,