d been brought in that a body of the
rebels had recrossed the river at Williamsport, and the subsequent
official dispatches explained that this force was a detachment of
Lee's cavalry under Stuart, with a regiment of infantry and some
pieces of artillery, whose evident design was a raid upon Hagerstown,
where a large quantity of military stores had been received for
McClellan's army. General Couch's division had been sent up to drive
him back, and it was the exchange of compliments between the two which
we now heard, though of this explanation we were for the time being
ignorant.

In the march down the road, the cavalry took the advance, and were
followed by the Maryland Brigade. The militia then closed in, and the
successive lines gradually dissolved into a single column. The
musicians were sent to the rear. After proceeding half a mile or so,
the column was halted, and came to a rest in the road, in which
position it remained for an hour or more. By this time it was dusk,
and the artillery discharges in the front had become really
formidable. The firing was principally from the rebel guns. Signal
rockets now and then illuminated the sky, and a brilliant panorama was
presented to the view, the complexion of which was decidedly warlike.
Aids galloped up and down the column at a rattling pace, and things
rapidly assumed an air of confusion. I draw a veil over the scenes
presented at this juncture among a portion of the reserves of General
Reynolds. It would take a better soldier than myself to tell what
would have been the result of a serious collision at this moment, to
the body of this force, whose chief misfortune was that it was
entirely undisciplined. The plan agreed on was to receive the
advancing enemy with the bayonet, in case a fire should be found
ineffectual to check his progress. Many of our comrades made leagues
with each other, offensive and defensive, and examples of coolness
and determination inspired confidence in the main body of the men,
who, I am satisfied, would have followed orders and done their duty.

The firing presently ceased, and from some mounted officers the
intelligence was communicated that General Couch's division was now
immediately upon our front, and that our pickets were in
correspondence with his. At about eight o'clock we were ordered to
quarters in a stubble-field alongside the road, having been previously
cautioned by the Colonel not to build large fires, which injunction,
it i