ed
upon, but who had a great weakness for following up any noise on the
march, especially if it sounded anything like the crowing of a cock, and
was therefore not always in the line while on the march.

We had proceeded about five miles through the woods when our path crossed
a road at right angles, just at a school house.

As we crossed the road the guide said to me, there is a well on our left,
keep to the right a little. We turned a little to the right and at the
same time I ordered the word passed down to the rear that there was a well
on the left, keep to the right. This word was passed from one to another
until it had reached the rear of the column.

Now Sergeant C---- had stopped a little way back on some important
business, probably connected with a chicken roost, and of course did not
hear the cautionary word and after we had passed on about two hundred
yards a cry came from the rear of the column, C---- is in the well.

I halted the column, and going back found, by the aid of a lantern we
carried, that both C---- and his horse were in a dry well about ten or
twelve feet deep, and about as wide as it was deep. There was nothing to
do but to buckle our saddle straps together, which C---- placed under his
horse, and lift it out bodily and then pull C---- out.

This took us half an hour, and I was fearful that we would not reach the
house before the teams had got started, and we would be unable to capture
the guard. It was just daylight when we came out on the road, about six
hundred yards from the house, and I at once charged down and surrounded
it.

I secured six yoke of oxen and six loads of bacon, but could find no guard
or teamsters. After placing my pickets I had some of the boys bring in a
ham, and that, with some eggs and sweet potatoes, and a hoe cake that the
woman cooked for us, together with some coffee, which we always carried
with us, made us a good breakfast.

To our enquiries about the teamsters and guard, the woman told us that
about half an hour before we came a company of Cavalry came from the
opposite direction and passed on towards Plymouth, and that at their
approach, the guard and teamsters fled to the woods.

I took the teams and loads of bacon and, throwing out an advance and rear
guard, proceeded back to Plymouth, not knowing what moment I might run
onto this Cavalry troop, which I thought must be rebel Cavalry, as there
were no Union Cavalry between Plymouth and Little Washington