, which were
about eighty miles apart, and knowing that no other troop had left
Plymouth, and none would leave until my return.

I reached Plymouth without opposition and then learned that the troop that
had passed the house just before we got there, was thirty of our Cavalry
from Little Washington, with dispatches for Plymouth, and had already
arrived.

When I learned this I was very thankful that C---- had got into the well,
for otherwise, we would have reached the road half an hour sooner and
would in all probability have met this troop, and mistaken them for the
reb guard, have charged them; and as they were not expecting to meet any
one but enemies, they would very likely have attempted to break through
and a fight would have taken place between us, which must have resulted in
loss of life before the mistake was found out.

Shortly after this, Modlin, our other guide, wanted to move his wife and
household effects into Plymouth and asked Captain Roache, who was then in
command of the detachment of Cavalry, to accompany him to his farm, which
was about fourteen miles from our lines, as a protection against a company
of rebs that were sometimes in the neighborhood.

Captain Roache took eighty-five men of Companies "A" and "F," and with
Captain Hock, Lieutenant Russel and myself, accompanied him home.

I had command of the advance going out, and after we reached the house,
was sent with twenty-five men across a piece of woods to another road, and
about a mile out on that road, to a house where he thought I might
capture some prisoners. Modlin went along as my guide, and as we emerged
from the woods, and came out on the road near a school house, I dismounted
and went into the school house to see if there was anyone there. I found
on the hearth the dying embers of a fire and quite a number of egg shells,
showing that the school house had been occupied the previous night and
assuring me that there were rebs in the vicinity.

I did not delay, but moved rapidly down upon the farm house and surrounded
it, but after a thorough search of the premises failed to reveal the rebs
I was in search of, I mounted again and returned to Modlin's house, and
found two carts loaded with his furniture, &c., and ready to start for
Plymouth.

On our return trip Lieutenant Russel was placed in command of the advance,
and I was given command of the rear guard of twelve men to protect the
carts. The mule in the head cart was driven by one