the enemy in our front, also dismounted, and firing began. We
were ordered to fall back gradually toward the river, fighting as we
retreated, the object being to draw the enemy toward the batteries that
were on the opposite side of the river.

As we neared the banks of the river where the led horses were, our
purpose was to remount and to cross the river, but the enemy pressed us
so close that some of us, I among them, were compelled to cross on foot.
This was rather a chilly experience, when you consider that it was the
middle of January. But we got over, and our batteries opened fire on the
enemy and compelled them to fall back.

Just as we came out of the river we met the infantry coming down and
taking position behind the breastworks that had been thrown up along the
south bank of the river. Those who had forded the river were allowed to
go to camp, a short distance off, to dry their clothes, for it was
freezing weather.

I had mounted my horse, and as I passed the column of infantry coming
down to the river, a bullet fired by the enemy's sharpshooter on the
opposite side struck one of the men, and he fell in a heap, dead, at the
feet of my horse. He dropped as suddenly as if he had been taken by some
powerful force and thrown violently to the ground. Every joint and
muscle in his body seemed to have given way in an instant.

After we had dried our clothes before the camp-fire our command
re-crossed the river to find out what the enemy proposed to do. We were
again dismounted and formed in line across the field as before, and,
moving forward, found the enemy just beyond the reach of our batteries.
Lying close to the ground we began firing at each other, continuing long
after dark. Then the firing ceased. After remaining there for some time,
someone in command (I don't know who it was) ordered Capt. Gibson of our
company to send four men with instructions to creep up as near as they
could to the enemy's lines, stay there, and report whenever the enemy
withdrew.

I was selected as one of the four men. When we got pretty near their
line we got down flat on the ground, and like so many snakes crawled
along until we got as close as we dared. We could distinctly see them on
their horses, but we did not remain long before we saw them withdraw. We
heard their officers giving the command.

We then came back, and had some difficulty getting in without being
shot, from the fact that the regiment to which we belonged had