eeping. Finally, a little before midnight, I turned in,
telling the guard to awaken me at once, should there be firing in front,
and to so instruct the relief.

I cannot give the exact time; it may be I did not know it at the time;
but it was before daylight that the sentinel awoke me. Not having
undressed, I was out in an instant, and listening, heard scattering
shots. They were not many, but enough to impel me to a quick resolve.
Rousing the nearest staff officer, I bade him have the command ready to
move at a moment's notice.

In an incredibly short space of time, the order was executed. The tents
were struck, the artillery horses attached to the gun carriages and
caissons, and the cavalry horses saddled. No bugle call was sounded. The
firing grew heavier, and from the hill where Custer was, rang out on the
air the shrill notes of Foght's bugle, telling us that our old commander
had taken the alarm. Rosser had attacked the pickets at the fords and
was driving them in. He had done the same on one or two mornings before,
but there was an unwonted vigor about this attack that boded mischief.
The federal cavalry had, however, recovered from their earlier habit of
being "away from home" when Rosser called. They were always "in" and
ready and willing to give him a warm reception. He found that morning
that both Merritt and Custer were "at home." In a moment, a staff
officer from General Merritt dashed up with orders to take the entire
brigade to the support of the picket line. Moving out rapidly, we were
soon on the ground. The Seventh Michigan had made a gallant stand alone,
and when the brigade arrived, the enemy did not see fit to press the
attack, but contented himself with throwing a few shells from the
opposite bank which annoyed us so little that Martin did not unlimber
his guns.

[Illustration: CHARLES R. LOWELL]

A heavy fog had by this time settled down upon the valley. The first
streaks of dawn began to appear, and it soon became evident that the
cavalry attack upon the right flank was but a feint and that the real
danger was in another quarter. Far away to the left, for some time,
volleys of musketry had been heard. With the roll of musketry was
intermingled, at intervals, the boom of cannon, telling to the practiced
ear, the story of a general engagement. The sounds increased in volume
and in violence, and it was no difficult matter to see that the union
forces were falling back for, farther and farther to