ldier. John Mosher had marched with the column the day before,
but owing to the overpowering heat was obliged to fall a little behind.
Toward evening, finding himself too much exhausted to walk further, he
applied for and obtained permission to ride in an ambulance of the First
division. During the night he was found to be dying. The kind hearted
surgeon in charge of the hospital of the First division, Dr. Crehore,
and one of his assistants, spent some hours with him, using every means
to restore him, but without avail. He died before morning. A letter in
his pocket told his name and regiment. We made a grave near Cedar creek,
and a few of his comrades stood around it while he was lowered to his
bed of earth, wrapped in his blanket. The chaplain offered a brief
prayer; his fellows in arms fired a parting salute, and we left him to
sleep in the valley where, a few weeks later, some of his companions
were to rest by his side.

On the 13th all the troops were across on the south side of Cedar creek.
The pickets of our Second division occupied one end of the village of
Strasburgh, while those of the enemy held the other. We were sure that
we must fight here, and we were not unwilling. Our cavalry was scouting
on the flanks, skirmishing with rebel cavalry and searching for a way to
outflank Early's army. The rebels held a position of great strength, and
to make a direct assault would be to run a great risk of a repulse. The
walls of the valley, the Blue Ridge and the North Mountains, came close
together here, and, to render the position stronger, Fisher Hill, a
commanding eminence, a prominent object in the landscape, to be seen
from one end of the valley to the other, rose directly in our front and
obstructed our passage. Upon the declivities of this hill the enemy had
planted batteries so as to command our approach from any direction.

We remained gazing at this strong position till nightfall, and then
recrossed the river, and made our position strong for defense. General
Sheridan had been instructed by General Grant not to bring on a general
engagement unless it was forced upon him. General Grant regarded our
army rather as one of defense than for offensive operations. Should we
suffer defeat, the capital and the rich fields of Pennsylvania and
Maryland would again be open to the rebels. So we were to watch their
movements and hold them in check, but we were not to risk a battle with
them.

Meanwhile, the ubiquitous Mos