istory was jotted down in black and
white. The job was a great national one, and let none be slighted
who bore an honorable part in it. And while those who have cleared
the great river may well be proud, even that is not all. It is
hard to say that anything has been more bravely and well done than
at Antietam, Murfreesboro, Gettysburg, and on fields of less note.
Nor must Uncle Sam's web feet be forgotten. At all the watery
margins they have been present, not only on the deep sea, the broad
bay, and the rapid river, but also up the narrow, muddy bayou, and
wherever the ground was a little damp they have been and made their
tracks. Thanks to all."

During my stay in New York my wife visited me, and accompanied me
with the troops to Alexandria.

On the 6th of September the Ohio troops of my command took ship,
and when landed at Alexandria, Virginia, marched to Fox's Ford on
the Rappahannock, and on the 14th rejoined the Third Corps, having
been absent one month.

The next day the whole army moved across the river and encamped
around Culpeper Court-House.

( 1) _Hist. of Rebellion_ (McPherson), p. 42.

( 2) _War Records_, vol. xxix., Part II., pp. 46, 54.

CHAPTER IV
Advance of Lee's Army, October, 1863 and Retreat of the Army of
the Potomac to Centreville--Battle of Bristoe Station--Advance of
the Union Army, November, 1863--Assault and Capture of Rappahannock
Station, and Forcing the Fords--Affair near Brandy Station and
Retreat of Confederate Army Behind the Rapidan--Incidents, etc.

Events occurred elsewhere that affected the aspect of affairs in
Virginia.

General Rosecrans, early in September, commenced to move the Army
of the Cumberland across the Tennessee River into Georgia, his
objective being Chattanooga. Burnside at about the same time began
a movement towards Knoxville, and on the way recaptured Cumberland
Gap. The Confederate authorities, fearing Bragg was in danger,
decided to send large reinforcements to his army, and, on September
9, 1863, Longstreet, with two divisions of his corps and a complement
of artillery, was dispatched by rail from Lee to reinforce Bragg.
The sanguinary battle of Chickamauga was fought on the 19th and
20th of September. It resulted in Rosecrans and his army gaining
possession of Chattanooga, and Bragg and his army being left in
possession of the battlefield. Rosecrans held Chattanooga in little
less than a state of siege; his communications were in danger