ear Staunton, I
continued with the cadets, riding one of their artillery horses, but was
too much exhausted to proceed far, and stopped for the night on the way.
Here I learned from refugees that Hunter was advancing toward Lexington.
As the whole country seemed now to be overrun by the Federals, to avoid
them was very difficult.

I resumed my journey toward home, frequently meeting acquaintances who
were seeking safety elsewhere. When within four or five miles of the
town, while ascending a long hill, I heard the sound of a drum and fife
not far ahead. Presently I recognized the tune played to be "Yankee
Doodle." I could not believe it to be the vanguard of Hunter's army, but
what on earth could it be? However, at the top of the hill I saw a train
of refugee wagons preceded by two negroes who were making the music.

I remained at home only a day and a night, at the expiration of which
time General McCausland (the first captain of our battery) with his
brigade of cavalry was within a mile of town, closely pursued by
Hunter's whole army. I spent half of the night assisting my mother and
the servants (our slaves) to conceal from the marauders what flour,
bacon, etc., the family still had; and before sunrise the next morning
set out, mounted on my father's horse, for a safer place. By this time
my wounds had become very painful, and my leg had turned a dark blue
color from the thigh to the knee.

A brief account of my experience while refugeeing may be of interest, as
it will give an idea of the horror with which our non-combatants
regarded the invasion of their homes by our fellow-countrymen of the
North, who had now resorted to fire, after learning by bitter experience
that the sword alone could not restore us to the blessings of the Union.

My destination was the home of my aunt, Mrs. Allen, forty miles distant,
in Bedford County. After passing through the gap between the two peaks
of Otter, I reached my aunt's and found there three officers from
Louisiana recovering from wounds. After a respite of two days one of the
officers, on his return from a neighbor's, brought information that
McCausland's command was approaching through the mountain-pass, with
Hunter in close pursuit. In a few hours our house of refuge was overrun
by McCausland's hungry soldiers. Again I went through the process of
helping to hide valuables and packing up what was to be hauled away. I
started at dawn next morning with the officers, leaving m