em plank road,
and in the morning rejoined the main army before Petersburgh and resumed
our old position.

The story of the great raid of Kautz and Wilson, which we now learned in
detail, was one of thrilling interest, full of wild adventure, untold
hardship and great peril. The two divisions had penetrated far to the
rear of Lee's army, had destroyed miles of the Weldon railroad, and
then, reaching the Southside road, the great artery for the supply of
the rebel army, had torn up the track and burned the ties for dozens of
miles. In their return they had fallen in with the cavalry of the enemy,
and, when near Reams' Station, had come upon a strong force of cavalry
and infantry. An engagement ensued, which resulted in the Union cavalry
being driven, and hundreds from the immense throng of colored refugees,
which was following the cavalry towards the Union lines, were ridden
down by the rebel cavalry and killed. The cavalry at length succeeded in
reaching our lines by making a circuit farther south, and many of the
negroes also succeeded in escaping from rebeldom.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

SIXTH CORPS TRANSFERRED TO WASHINGTON--BATTLE OF FORT STEVENS.

The Shenandoah Valley--Hunter's advance to Lynchburgh--The
retreat--Rebels advance into Maryland--Battle of Monocacy--Sixth
corps goes to Washington--Battle of Fort Stevens.

The Shenandoah Valley, which had been the scene of such varied fortunes
to our army during the war, again became a field of great interest.

Simultaneous with the opening of the spring campaign by the army of the
Potomac, General Sigel, who then commanded in the valley, commenced to
move his army. On the 15th of May he met the enemy at New Market, and
was defeated. He withdrew his army to Harper's Ferry, where, by order of
General Grant, who was dissatisfied with his management, he was relieved
of his command by General Hunter.

General Hunter at once resumed offensive operations, moved up the valley
and encountered the enemy at Piedmont and routed him, capturing fifteen
hundred prisoners, three pieces of artillery and three thousand stand of
small arms. He then pursued the routed army to Lynchburgh, which place
he invested. To meet this movement of Hunter, Lee had sent General Early
with his corps to the assistance of the rebel garrison. This force
arrived just before the Union army came up. General Hunter, finding that
he was confronted by a large force, his ammunition being nearl