we were going at once; were not to make a fight in the
town; to keep quiet in their houses, and it was not probable they
would be interfered with.

The bridge, bursting into smoke and flame, told the story before the
General got back. On we went up the street, through the grove where we
camped the night before, on toward the railroad, following the track
taken by General Lee.

Just beyond the wood, on the outskirts of the town, a large creek runs
under the railroad through an arched way or viaduct, wide enough for
the road to pass along its bank. After crossing this creek, on a
bridge on the town side of the railroad embankment, we passed along
the road under the culvert, and formed on the edge of the woods some
three or four hundred yards beyond. Colonel Haskell, with Captain Doby
and his thirty men, halted at the bridge to destroy it, as by this
time bodies of the enemy's cavalry could be seen moving at a gallop
on the hill above. The creek was too deep for a ford; so it was all
important, in connection with our crossing the river, to check their
advance by burning the bridge. Colonel Haskell, dismounting, placed
all of his party, except his axemen, behind the railroad bank which
overlooked the bridge and served as a capital breastwork, went to work
with a will. By this time the enemy was upon them and commenced a
heavy fire, which was returned handsomely by the party under cover and
with good effect. Colonel Haskell succeeded in the complete
destruction of the bridge, with the loss of only one of his axemen
killed.

The cover of the bank, and the small number actually exposed when at
work, enabled him to perform a gallant and dangerous piece of service
with slight loss.

General Gary, who had occupied a position between the wood where the
brigade was formed and near where the bridge party was at work, so as
to be in complete command of whatever might take place, moved on at
once toward the ford where General Lee had already crossed his
division. We moved by regiments in intervals after him.

By some mistake of our guide we were carried to a point in the river
which was not practicable, at the then stage of the river, as a
ford--which we duly discovered after nearly drowning two or three men
and horses of the ambulance train, whom we found at the head of the
column when we reached the river, their usual place being in the
rear. The adjutant, finding them in front, asked them, "What the deuce
are you doing here-