of a serious nature during the war.

At New Creek a constant drill was kept up. To avoid surprises by
sudden dashes, the companies as well as the battalion were taught
to form squares quickly and to guard against cavalry. Early in
December Milroy marched to Little Petersburg, on the South Branch
of the Potomac, and I was assigned to command a post at Moorefield
to include Hardy County, West Virginia, Milroy's headquarters being
ten miles distant. General Lee ordered General W. E. Jones, then
temporarily in command in the Shenandoah Valley, to retake the
county we occupied. A feeble effort to do this failed. We were
kept constantly on the alert, however, by annoying attacks of
Captain McNeil's irregular cavalry or guerillas. Late in December,
1862, it was decided to make a raid into the lower Shenandoah
Valley, and, if found practicable, occupy it permanently. I was
designated to lead the raid with about two thousand infantry,
cavalry, and artillery. This made it necessary for me to be relieved
of the command of the post. Cluseret was therefore ordered from
Petersburg to relieve me. He arrived late in the evening with his
staff and escort, showed his orders, and I suggested that he assume
the command at once. This he declined to do until he ascertained
the position of the troops, roads, etc. I provided him comfortable
quarters, and everything would have gone along pleasantly but for
an unexpected incident.

Before Cluseret's arrival, a lieutenant-colonel of a West Virginia
regiment applied for leave to go to Petersburg to visit a lady
friend. This I refused, and he undertook to go without leave.
After he had proceeded along the river road by moonlight about
three miles, he was halted by a man who, from behind a tree, pointed
a musket at him and demanded his surrender and that he deliver up
his sword, pistols, overcoat, horse, and trappings, all of which
he did promptly, and accepted a parole. The man who made the
capture claimed to be a regular Confederate soldier returning from
a furlough to his command. With the colonel's property and on the
horse he proceeded by a mountain path on his journey. The colonel
walked back to Moorefield and related his adventure. I at once
ordered Captain Rowan with a small number of his West Virginia
cavalry to pursue the Confederate. As there was snow on the ground,
his pursuit was easy, and before midnight the Captain had captured
him and all the colonel's property