picketed road, fell upon our rearguard at Buckland Mills, and opened
upon our unsuspecting column with a battery of flying artillery. At this
signal Stuart, who had hitherto retired before us quietly, now turned
about and advanced upon us in front with terrible determination. Thus
unexpected troubles were multiplying around us. Scarcely had we time to
recover our senses from the first shock of attack upon our rear and
front, when General Gordon, with a division of infantry, until now
concealed behind a low range of hills and woods on our left, appeared
upon the scene, and advanced upon our flank with a furious attack, which
threatened to sever our two small brigades and to annihilate the entire
command. We were now completely surrounded by a force which outnumbered
us at least four to one.

This was a critical situation; but "Kil" (as the general is familiarly
styled among us) seemed to comprehend it in a moment. All thought and
effort now centralized into a plan of escape from the snares which the
enemy had laid for us, and into which we had too easily thrown
ourselves. Kilpatrick is supposed by some to have unnecessarily exposed
himself, in which he suffered his first defeat, though escaping with a
remarkably small loss.

Quickly ordering his force to wheel about, he led them back in a
determined charge upon Lee's columns and artillery, now planted on the
banks along Cedar Run. This timely order, executed with masterly skill,
saved his command from utter disaster, and justified his course. As it
was, however, he lost nearly three hundred men, including quite a number
who were drowned in the creek while endeavoring to escape. The scene was
one of great confusion and distress.

THE AUTHOR'S CAPTURE.

By the sudden evolution of the command, when the order was first
executed, the Harris Light, which was in front, while advancing, was
thrown in the rear, and was thus compelled to meet the desperate charges
of the enemy in pursuit, and to defend itself as best it could from fire
on the flank. Having reached a slight elevation of ground in the road,
we made a stand, and for some time checked the advancing columns of the
Rebels by pouring into their ranks rapid and deadly volleys from our
carbines and revolvers. Stuart, who commanded in person, saw clearly
that the quickest and almost only way to dislodge us was by charging
upon us, and, consequently ordering the charge, he came with a whole
brigade amid deafening yells