we pushed on toward Brandy Station, which we
reached toward evening, the cavalry having preceded us.

The whole of Lee's army, except the forces stationed at Rappahannock
Station and Kelly's Ford, had been encamped in the vicinity of Brandy
Station, and their recently deserted camps, where they had erected
comfortable huts and made many other preparations for a winter's stay,
showed that their hasty leave was entirely unexpected to them. In many
instances officers had forgotten to take their valises and trunks with
them, and Union soldiers strutted about in the garb of rebel brigadiers
and colonels.

It was said, by the rebel prisoners taken by the cavalry, that while the
fights were in progress on the Rappahannock, General Lee was holding a
grand review of his army, when suddenly the information reached him that
the Yankees were coming. The review was broken off, and there was
hurrying of regiments to their respective camps, each regiment,
independently of its division or brigade, making hot haste for its own
quarters. Baggage was quickly thrown into wagons, and a general stampede
toward the Rapidan commenced at once.

CHAPTER XXII.

THE ARMY AT BRANDY STATION.

Encampment at Brandy Station--The Mine Run campaign--Crossing
the Rapidan--Battle of Locust Grove--The army on Mine Run--The
order of battle--The army withdraws--Back at Brandy
Station--Reconnoissance to Madison Court House--Ladies in
camp--Chapel tents.

The Sixth corps went into camp on the right of the army, two miles from
Brandy Station. We occupied land belonging to John Minor Botts. Mr.
Botts boasted that he owned six hundred miles of fence when we came upon
his possessions. He could not say that when we had been there a week!
His fences were burned, and his forests cut down; and it was generally
known that our chief quarter-master was paying him immense sums of money
for the wood used by our army.

At the end of a week it became pretty evident that our stay at Brandy
Station might be of considerable duration, possibly for the winter.
Accordingly, the men proceeded once more to build houses for the winter;
and never, since we had been in service, had they constructed so
comfortable quarters as they now built. All about us were the rebel
camps, in which they had vainly hoped to spend the winter; and these
furnished timbers already hewn, fine stones ready for use in making
chimneys, and hewn saplings ready prepared for