of my guards, who led
his horse behind, and the other was driven by a darkey boy, and upon this
cart was seated Mrs. Modlin, upon the top of a load of bedding, etc.

We had proceeded perhaps a mile, when we came to a small stream or run,
where we stopped to water the horses. We were passing through a swampy
piece of woods, called cedar swamp, and just up the road, perhaps six
hundred yards from the stream, was a small wood-colored meeting house.

The advance and the main column had watered and started on, and I was
watering the horses of the rear guard, when a brisk fire of musketry was
opened upon the column now four hundred yards ahead, from the woods on our
right.

The column pushed by, and then halted and dismounted, while I told the
mule-driver to drive up past before they had time to reload; but the mules
were frightened at the firing and were hard to manage, and while I was
assuring Mrs. Modlin that she had nothing to fear, as they would not fire
at a woman, my guard galloped past the firing up to the column, the one
who was driving the mule deserting it, and mounting his horse, going with
the rest. The mule thus left without a driver, ran away up towards the
company, scattering the goods along the road. The darkey jumped off the
other cart and ran into the woods, and as this mule started to run, Mrs.
Modlin, turned a back somersault off the back end of the cart and followed
the darkey; the mule running against a tree beside the road, demolished
the cart and spilled the goods in a most promiscuous manner. My position
behind them all, enabled me to take in the whole of this ludicrous scene
and I should have laughed if they had all been killed.

Being deserted by my guard and left alone, I started towards the column,
firing a small pistol that had been presented to me, into the woods, the
rebs being within five or six rods of the road, but a cap got foul and it
would not revolve, so I returned it to my belt and drew my navy revolver.
As I passed them they gave me a volley, but all fired over my head, and
neither myself or horse were touched.

As I rode up towards the column, I saw Captain Hock out in front five or
six rods, firing his pistol into the woods, and every one seemed to be
fighting on his own hook.

I called out and asked where Captain Roache was, and some one said he was
hurt. I then called to the men to come out, where I was still sitting on
my horse, and form, which they did with alacrity. Capt.