my brother discovered me. His regiment
was lying in the bush close by supporting this very
battery. Never was a man more surprised than was he at
that moment. He supposed I was at home in Boston. But,
before he would talk, he made me go into the woods and
lie down with the soldiers so as to be in less danger.
And there I crawled around and shook hands with nearly a
hundred men whom I had known all my life. Many were the
questions I answered, and scores of messages were given
me to take home to parents and friends. The boys seemed
very sad--for a member had been killed in this company
only three days before, and they expected to be actively
fighting again at any moment. At length my brother
insisted that I should go back to Centreville out of
danger, and I started with a heavy heart. But secretly I
resolved to try to go to Richmond with the army, for I
felt sure it would only take a few days. Up to that time
it seemed to be victory for us; and I didn't believe it
could possibly be otherwise. So I went back to
Centreville. I was very hungry as well as tired. It was
now past four o'clock in the afternoon.

I soon found a group of sick officers who were about to
dine off of boiled beef close by the army wagon in which
I had come from Washington. They asked me to join them. I
had just got fairly seated when the astounding news came
that our army was defeated and was retreating. I didn't
believe it; but I rushed to the hilltop to see for
myself. Down there on the plain, where I had been in the
morning, there was certainly much dust and confusion.
Just then fresh troops, the reserves, started to go down,
but even to my inexperienced eye it was plain that they
went in bad order and went too late. It was there that I
saw the general who wore two hats--one crushed over the
other--and who was reported in newspaper accounts of the
scene as being very drunk that day. He certainly appeared
decidedly drunk at that moment.

Wild with excitement, I rushed down hill too; but long
before I got where I had been a few hours before, I met
the rush of panic stricken men coming pell-mell from the
field. To resist this rush was impossible and worse than
useless. Wagons driven at full speed came with the men.
Shouted curses filled the air