o spend the night. For more thorough protection, pickets
had been sent out in every direction, and posted with much care. It was
a season of considerable anxiety to all, and of great fatigue especially
to those of us who had been in the saddle several consecutive days and
nights. Standing to horse as we were compelled to do, very little rest
could be obtained, though many were so exhausted, that, dropping to the
earth, with bridle and halter in hand, they fell asleep, while their
comrades wished for the morning, which came at last.

After our frugal breakfast, which consisted mostly of hard-tack and
coffee, a thorough inspection of the command was made, and all men
reported to have unserviceable or unsafe horses, were sent to the rear.
The weather is perfectly charming to-day, although quite too warm, in
the midday heat, to be comfortable marching.

_May 2._--Early in the morning our column reached the railroad, in the
rear of General Lee's army, and, with slight opposition from scattered
pickets, the work of destruction began. Culverts and bridges, telegraph
lines and posts, disappeared like the smoke of their burning.

KILPATRICK AT LOUISA COURT HOUSE.

While this work was going on, Kilpatrick was ordered to lead the Harris
Light into Louisa Court House, which he did in a gallant manner. The
inhabitants, taken by surprise, were greatly terrified at our approach
and entry into the place, but finding themselves in the hands of men,
and not fiends, as they had been wont to regard us, and receiving from
us neither disrespect nor insult, soon dispelled their needless fears.
We remained in town until two o'clock P. M., tearing railroad track and
destroying railroad property, as well as commissary and quartermaster
stores found in public buildings.

At the hour above named we were ordered out to support the First Maine
Cavalry in a spirited skirmish with Rebel cavalry. In this engagement
our Troy company had one sergeant wounded, and one corporal and four men
taken prisoners.

By eleven o'clock at night General Stoneman's forces had reached the
neighborhood of Thompson's Cross Roads, where the command was broken up
into several independent expeditions to scour the country in every
direction, and to destroy as completely as possible all the enemy's
means of supply. Colonel Percy Wyndham, with the First New Jersey and
First Maine, was sent south to Columbia on the James River, to destroy
the great canal which feeds Ric