occasion. Towards evening the muskets were stacked, artillery style
of course, the men were lying around, chatting and eating raw bacon, and
there was general quiet, when suddenly the earth shook with a tremendous
explosion and an immense column of smoke rushed up into the air to a
great height. For a moment there was the greatest consternation. Whole
regiments broke and fled in wild confusion. Cutshaw's men stood up,
seized their muskets, and stood at attention till it was known that the
ammunition had been purposely fired and no enemy was threatening the
line. Then what laughter and hilarity prevailed, for a while, among
these famishing men!

Order having been restored, the march was resumed, and moving by way of
Amelia Springs, the column arrived near Deatonsville, about ten o'clock,
on the morning of Thursday the 6th. The march, though not a long one,
was exceedingly tiresome, as, the main roads being crowded, the column
moved by plantation roads, which were in wretched condition and crowded
with troops and trains. That the night was spent in the most trying
manner may best be learned from the fact that when morning dawned the
column was only six or seven miles from the starting point of the
evening before.

This delay was fatal. The whole army--trains and all--left Amelia Court
House in advance of Walker's division, which was left to cover the
retreat, Cutshaw's battalion being the last to leave the court house,
thus bringing up the rear of the army, and being in constant view of the
enemy's hovering cavalry. The movement of the division was regulated to
suit the movements of the wagon trains, which should have been destroyed
on the spot, and the column allowed to make its best time, as, owing to
the delay they occasioned, the army lost the time it had gained on the
enemy in the start, and was overtaken the next day.

At Deatonsville another effort to cook was made, but before the simplest
articles of food could be prepared, the order to march was given, and
the battalion took the road once more.

A short while after passing Deatonsville the column was formed in line
of battle,--Cutshaw's battalion near the road and in an old field with
woods in front and rear. The officers, anticipating an immediate attack,
ordered the men to do what they could for their protection. They
immediately scattered along the fence on the roadside, and taking down
the rails stalked back to their position in line, laid the rails on th