our brigade, but were
repulsed at first fire from the infantry rifles. There was one
thing demonstrated during this war, that whatever might have been
accomplished in days of old, the cavalry on either side could not
stand the fire of the infantry. And it seemed that they had a kind
of intuition of the fact whenever the infantry was in their front.
Nothing better as an excuse did a cavalry commander wish, when met
with a repulse, than to report, "We were driving them along nicely
until we came upon the enemy's infantry, then we had to give way."

This report had been made over and over again, until it became
threadbare; but a cavalry officer thought it a feather in his cap to
report his defeat or repulse by, "We met their infantry." We made a
junction with Early near Brown's Gap, on the 26th, and camped at night
with orders to be prepared to march at daylight. The troops of Early's
were in a despondent mood, but soon their spirits revived at the
sight of Kershaw's Division. We moved forward in the direction of
Harrisonburg, our duty being to guard the two roads leading thereto.
Early sent the other part of the army to the left and forward of us,
and in this order we marched on to Waynesboro. Reaching there next
day, the enemy's cavalry scattered when our troops came in sight.
We began, on October 1st, moving in the direction of the turn-pike,
leading from Winchester to Staunton, striking near Harrisonburg on the
6th.

We began the forward movement down the Valley on the 7th, the enemy
slowly giving way as we advanced. We passed through those picturesque
little cities of the Valley, Harrisonburg, New Market, and Woodstock,
marching a day or two and then remaining in camp that length of
time to give rest to the troops, after their long march. It must be
remembered we had been two months cut off from the outside world--no
railroad nearer than Staunton, the men being often short of rations
and barefooted and badly clad; scarcely any mail was received during
these two months, and seldom a paper ever made its appearance in
camp. We only knew that Lee was holding his own. We reached and passed
through Strausburg on the 13th. In the afternoon of this day, while
we were on the march, but at the time laying by the side of the
turn-pike, the enemy tried to capture some of our artillery. We had
heard firing all day in our front, but thought this the effects of the
enemy's sullen withdrawal. While resting by the road side, the ene