ink from Indiana, remarked to me: "I tell ye the bullet hain't
run that will kill a fellow when that band's a-playin'."

CHAPTER XI

Within a few days General Gregg was directed to cross the Potomac at
Harper's Ferry and move out to the vicinity of the road leading from
Martinsburg to Winchester, which was General Lee's line of
communications, to do what was possible to cripple his wagon trains. We
moved through Charlestown and the next day reached Shepherdstown, where
the Confederates had large stores of provisions. The people there were
divided in sentiment, some sympathizing with the South, and a few with
the Union army. With a view of rewarding the Union sympathizers, some of
us took flour and bacon from the Confederate stores and presented it to
the families that we believed to be in sympathy with the Union, to the
disgust of those who favored the South. This proved to be an unfortunate
performance on our part for the recipients of our favors. While this was
going on the enemy attacked and drove in our pickets and advanced in
force. Fortunately the First Maine cavalry was mounted and on the road,
going out for forage. Colonel Smith, their commander, at once deployed
his regiment and checked the rapid advance of the enemy until General
Gregg could get out the rest of the command and occupy a good position.

That morning some prisoners were brought in and as they were taking a
squad to the rear I asked one of the men what regiment he belonged to.
Upon his reply that it was the Twenty-eighth Louisiana and that it was
from New Orleans, I asked him if he knew any one by the name of Sykes.
He inquired if he was one of the auctioneer's sons. On telling him he
was, he replied that they had two in his regiment and that one of them
had been wounded and left back at some place, which I do not now recall.
This Sykes was a second cousin of mine. On writing home I reported the
circumstance to my mother, whose brother, my uncle, shortly after
visited New Orleans and was thus able to give information to Sykes's
mother in New Orleans regarding her son, she up to that time having had
no word as to his whereabouts or condition. He subsequently recovered.

About this time General Gregg received word that Lee's army had entirely
recrossed the Potomac, so it was too late to accomplish anything with
two brigades. He also found that they were moving around to surround us,
as several couriers were captured on the way from Harper'