--the First and Sixth--the Fifth and Seventh being to the left, were
obliged to reach and cross the pike to make their escape. Weber
stealthily withdrew the battalion. He was the last man to leave the
field. When we were forming in the road, after rallying the skirmishers,
the enemy was in plain sight only a little way toward Hagerstown and it
seemed as if one could throw a stone and hit them. We expected they
would charge us, but they did not, and probably the growing darkness
prevented it. In fact, there was manifest a disposition on their part to
let us alone if we would not molest them.

We then marched off into a piece of woods and, the regiment having all
reunited, learned--those who had not known of it before--of Jewett's
death. His body was still where it fell. The suggestion was made to go
and recover it. Weber and his men made an attempt to do so, but by that
time the enemy had come up and taken possession of the field. This was a
terrible blow to all, to be obliged to leave the body of a beloved
comrade; to be denied the privilege of aiding in placing him in a
soldier's grave, and performing the last offices of affection for a
fallen friend.

The death of Jewett was a blow to the regiment the more severe because
he was the first officer killed up to that time. A portion of the
regiment had been roughly handled on the evening of July 2, at
Hunterstown--where Thompson and Ballard were wounded--and the latter
taken prisoner. A number of the rank and file were in the list of
killed, wounded and missing. Enough had been seen of war to bring to all
a realization of its horrors. Death was a familiar figure, yet Jewett's
position as adjutant had brought him into close relations with both
officers and men and his sudden death was felt as a personal
bereavement. It was like coming into the home and taking one of the best
beloved of the household.

After getting out of the Williamsport affair most of the night was taken
up in marching and on the morning of the 7th, the brigade was back in
Boonsborough where, remaining in camp all day, it obtained a much needed
rest, though the Fourth of July rain storm was repeated. Lee's army had
reached the Potomac, and not being able to cross by reason of the high
water, was entrenching on the north side. Meade's army was concentrating
in the vicinity but seemed in no hurry about it. During the day some
heavy siege guns, coming down the mountain road, passed through
Boonsborough g