reached, no regard was taken of its sacred character. One of the causes
of our disaster at the first battle of Bull Run was supposed by many to
be, that we had desecrated the holy Sabbath by our attack. However true
or false such a view may have been, the order we received to-day from
Washington was universally felt to be opportune.

Two days' march brought our advance to Falmouth, and on the twenty-first
General Patrick, our provost-marshal general, was directed to repair to
Fredericksburg under a flag of truce, and request the surrender of the
city. The authorities replied, that while its buildings and streets
would no longer be used by Rebel sharp-shooters to annoy our forces
across the river, its occupation by Yankee troops would be resisted to
the last. Had the means of crossing the river been at hand, General
Burnside would have made hostile demonstrations at once; but through
some misunderstanding between himself and General Halleck, at
Washington, the pontoons were not in readiness.

_November 28._--A strong force of Rebel cavalry, under General Wade
Hampton, dashed across the river at some of the upper fords, raided up
around Dumfries and the Occoquan, captured several prisoners and wagons,
and returned to their side of the river without loss. As a sort of
offset to this, on the twenty-ninth, General Julius Stahel, who
commanded a brigade of cavalry at Fairfax Court House, commenced an
expedition of great daring and success, to the Shenandoah Valley.
Having advanced to Snicker's Gap in the Blue Ridge, a strong Rebel
picket-post was captured by our vanguard. Pressing forward on the main
thoroughfare, they soon reached the Shenandoah river, and were not a
little annoyed by Rebel carbineers, hidden behind old buildings across
the stream. Captain Abram H. Krom, commanding a detachment of the Fifth
New York Cavalry, and leading the advance, dashed across the river,
though deep and the current swift, closely followed by his men. On
reaching the opposite bank, a charge was ordered, and executed in so
gallant a manner that several Rebels were made prisoners, and the
remainder of the squad was driven away at a breakneck speed. Our men
pursued them in a scrambling race for nearly three miles, when they came
upon a Rebel camp, which was attacked in a furious manner. Our boys made
noise enough for a brigade, though only a squadron was at hand. The
enemy attempted a defence, but utterly failed. Reenforcements coming to
our