o
much for me and at the first moment that duty would permit, I hurried
away from the scene. General Merritt did not see these things, nor did
General Sheridan, much less General Grant.

The army began to fall back on the 6th of October, the cavalry bringing
up the rear, as usual, Merritt on the valley pike, Custer by the back
road, along the east slope of the Little North mountain. The work of
incineration was continued and clouds of smoke marked the passage of
the federal army. Lomax with one division of cavalry followed Merritt,
while Rosser with two brigades took up the pursuit of Custer on the back
road. The pursuit was rather tame for a couple of days but the sight of
the destruction going on must have exasperated the confederate troopers,
many of whom were on their native heath, and put them in a fighting
mood, for on the 8th they began to grow aggressive and worried the life
out of our rear guard. The Michigan brigade had the rear. The Seventh
was sent ahead to see that nothing escaped that came within the scope of
Grant's order; the Fifth acted as rear guard; the First and Sixth in
position to support the Fifth if needed. The pike formed the main street
of the little town of Woodstock, the houses coming close to it on either
side. On nearing that place, it was found that a fire started in some
small barns and haystacks in the outskirts, had caught in the adjoining
buildings and the town was in flames. Dismounting the two regiments, and
sending the lead horses beyond the village, orders were given to have
the fires put out. The men went to work with a will, but were
interrupted in their laudable purpose by Lomax, who charged the rear
guard into the town, and there was some lively hustling to get to the
horses in time. The brigade was then formed in line in a good position
facing Woodstock and awaited, indeed invited attack by the confederates.
Lomax, however, kept at a respectful distance until the march was
resumed, when he took up the pursuit again. Thus it went, alternately
halting, forming and facing to the rear, and falling back, until Tom's
Brook was reached late in the afternoon. Then General Merritt directed
me to send one regiment to reinforce Custer, who was being hard pressed
by Rosser on the back road, and take the others and drive Lomax back.
The Seventh was sent to Custer and the First, Fifth and Sixth, the Sixth
leading, drove the cavalry that had been annoying our rear at a jump
back to Woodstock