forced by the state of our horses
to insist upon receiving the unwilling hospitality of a very surly
native, who was evidently Unionist in his proclivities. We were obliged
to turn our horses into a field to graze during the night. This was most
dangerous, for the Confederate soldier, in spite of his many virtues,
is, as a rule, the most incorrigible horse-stealer in the world.

[53] Barksdale was killed, and Semmes mortally wounded, at the battle of
Gettysburg.

* * * * *

_26th June_ (Friday).--I got up a little before daylight, and,
notwithstanding the drenching rain, I secured our horses, which, to my
intense relief, were present. But my horse showed a back rapidly getting
worse, and both looked "mean" to a degree. Lawley being ill, he declined
starting in the rain, and our host became more and more surly when we
stated our intention of remaining with him. However, the sight of _real
gold_ instead of Confederate paper, or even greenbacks, soothed him
wonderfully, and he furnished us with some breakfast. All this time
M'Laws's division was passing the door; but so strict was the
discipline, that the only man who loafed in was immediately pounced upon
and carried away captive. At 2 P.M., the weather having become a little
clearer, we made a start, but under very unpromising circumstances.
Lawley was so ill that he could hardly ride; his horse was most unsafe,
and had cast a shoe;--my animal was in such a miserable state that I had
not the inhumanity to ride him;--but, by the assistance of his tail, I
managed to struggle through the deep mud and wet. We soon became
entangled with M'Laws's division, and reached the Potomac, a distance of
nine miles and a half, at 5 P.M.; the river is both wide and deep, and
in fording it (for which purpose I was obliged to mount) we couldn't
keep our legs out of the water. The little town of Williamsport is on
the opposite bank of the river, and we were now in Maryland. We had the
mortification to learn that Generals Lee and Longstreet had quitted
Williamsport this morning at 11 o'clock, and were therefore obliged to
toil on to Hagerstown, six miles farther. This latter place is evidently
by no means Rebel in its sentiments, for all the houses were shut up,
and many apparently abandoned. The few natives that were about stared at
the troops with sulky indifference.

After passing through Hagerstown, we could obtain no certain information
of the whereab