n o'clock next day, we reached Bealton about
sunset, and were carefully concealed in the woods. Lighting of fires was
absolutely forbidden; and, as the night closed in upon us, the staff
remained in the saddle, stationed at different points, silently watching
us; and, as morning came again, there they were still on the watch.

Meantime, General Russell had marched his infantry to Hartwood Church,
and thence to a point near Kelly's Ford, where General Gregg was
concentrating two divisions of cavalry.

The night of the 8th, we moved down very near Beverly Ford into the
woods again,--cold suppers and no lights. The men were exceedingly
restless at these unusual orders about light and noise. In a letter from
one of my men since the war, he says: "The men thought we were being
humbugged, and there were many signs of dissatisfaction. They complained
because we were not allowed to have fires. Dave Orne was punished
(ordered to stand at attention) by you, for snapping a cap upon his gun.
It was exceedingly galling to his soldierly pride, as it was the only
time he was punished during his term of service. Hyde was particularly
insubordinate; and you were placed in arrest, because Company 'D' was so
disorderly."

I remember this very well, and my servant standing at a respectful
distance, holding my sabre while I was under this temporary cloud. The
gallant commander of the "Irish Brigade," as we called Company "H,"
shared the cloud with me; for he was placed in arrest at the same time.
Our sabres, however, were returned to us before we got into the fight;
and, in the evening bivouac, our commander made us a most graceful
apology over a tin mug of "commissary."

Buford's whole column was now concealed in the woods. The cheerful clank
and jingle of the cavalry was, by some means, suppressed; there was no
merry bugle breaking upon the still hours of the night; and, as the moon
threw deep shadows across the quiet country road, there seemed no trace
of "grim-visaged war."

At three o'clock in the morning, Captain Comey, with thirty picked men
from the Second Massachusetts, crept down to the river-bank, to see that
all was clear for the advance. He reported a large force of cavalry in
bivouac on the south side of the river, quite unconscious of Buford's
stealthy approach. Indeed, Jones' Rebel cavalry brigade was only a short
distance from the Ford, while his wagons and artillery were parked even
nearer to the river. Fitz Hugh Lee,