arters that night in a covered carriage in the rear of an
old blacksmith shop, privates Charles E. Lawton and Silas D. DeBlois,
of F Company, being on post near the carriage.

At daylight, July 18th, we were ordered to report to the regiment.
The army now started on the road to Centreville, and marched until
about 9 A. M., when a halt was ordered. We lay in the road until
about 2 P. M., waiting for the divisions on the other roads to come
up. At about 3 P. M., firing was heard in the vicinity of
Centreville, and we started at once, for some distance going on the
double-quick. The occasion of the firing was soon ascertained to be
that some of the troops of the First Division having advanced to the
vicinity of Blackburn's Ford, were fired upon by the enemy, who were
there in force, and after an engagement of about an hour the Union
troops fell back, having lost about twenty men. We continued on our
march that afternoon, to near Centreville, where we were ordered to
camp. Hunter's entire division were encamped in the fields on both
sides of the Warrenton Road, and we were that night given to
understand that we would probably remain there a day or two;
consequently the next morning, July 19th, we commenced to construct
temporary huts of pine trees and boughs for a shelter. That afternoon
we had fresh beef sent us in the shape of live cattle, which were
distributed to the troops, two to each regiment. Sergeant Major John
S. Engs, of our company, asked the privilege of shooting one of these
animals, which being granted, he armed himself with a Burnside
carbine and fired at about twenty paces, striking the ox in the fore
shoulder; the animal started on the run, everybody after him, the
sergeant major leading the charge. The ox, after a chase of half an
hour or more, succumbed to exhaustion and was readily despatched; the
remaining ox was killed by a man who understood the business. We
broiled, fried and stewed our fresh beef that night, and made
ourselves as comfortable as possible.

Saturday, July 20th, we loafed around camp, wrote letters home, and
visited other camps. At sunset we had dress parade, when orders were
read to be in readiness to march at a moment's notice, and for no man
to leave his company during the night. Our dress parade was witnessed
by General McDowell, his staff and officers, besides officers and men
from other regiments; both the Rhode Island regiments were in line.
After dress parade the usual relig