sumed our
march at ten A. M., and advanced to Leesburg, where we fed our horses
and rested. In the decline of the day we marched to Goose Creek, on
whose grassy banks we bivouacked for the night.

The whole cavalry force is moving towards the Rappahannock. On the
twenty-first we advanced _via_ Gum Spring and Centreville to Manassas
Junction. The boys have had some gay times to-day after blackberries,
which we found in great abundance all along our line of march. General
Gregg was compelled to dismount several men in the forenoon, and ordered
them to march on foot, for the offence of leaving the ranks for berries,
without permission. A command would soon be totally demoralized, if such
tendencies to unsoldierly conduct were not checked. And though at times
discipline seems severe, yet, especially with us, it is absolutely
necessary.

_July 22._--To-day we marched to the vicinity of Gainesville. We fell in
with Scott's Nine Hundred as we were marching across the old field of
Bull Run, among whom we found several old acquaintances. We spent a few
very interesting moments together.

_July 23._--Our command was cheered to-day by the arrival of a large
mail, which brought a message to nearly every man. During active
campaigning, as in the invasion of Pennsylvania and Maryland, it is
difficult to keep up postal connections with the civil world, and, with
the very best efforts which can be made, our mails are greatly delayed,
sometimes even for weeks together. But when they do come, they are
hailed with a delight which is almost frantic. The post-boys are cheered
as far as they can be seen, as they wend their way from camp to camp,
with their horses loaded down with the enormously swollen mail-bags.
Several bushels of letters are sometimes brought by one carrier, as was
the case to-day.

FIGHTING AT MANASSAS GAP.

During the day we have heard very heavy cannonading in the direction of
White Plains. It appears that General Meade, misled by the information
brought by some of his scouts, expected to engage the Rebel army in
Manassas Gap, or west of that, where General Buford found the enemy in
force. Our army was accordingly concentrated upon this point. The Third
Corps, under General French, which occupied Ashby's Gap, was sent
forward rapidly to Buford's support, where its First Division,
commanded by General Hobart Ward, pushed through the Gap, driving the
enemy before it, but with mutual loss. Here the New York Excelsi