house were covered with
wounded and dying men, and it was almost like fighting, to get a
supply of water from that well. We however succeeded in filling a
portion of our canteens and returned with them to the company. Almost
immediately after our arrival back to where the company were resting,
the order was given to "fall in." Heavy firing was now again heard on
our right, and our officers informed us that the regiment was to
change position. Soon troops began to march past us in great
confusion; our regiment marched out upon the road and halted. A body
of troops passed us headed for the rear, among them two companies of
Regular cavalry, whose principal participation in the day's
engagement had been the performance of semi-aide-de-camp duty.

We were by this time satisfied in our minds that our army was
retreating. At this juncture our brigade started back on the road
along the edge of the woods, and soon reached the Warrenton road
leading to the Stone Bridge. Our regiment preserved good order until
they had nearly reached the bridge; the enemy had a battery in
position to rake the road over which the retreat was being conducted,
and on arriving in proximity to the bridge, we found it to be
completely blocked with teams; a large army wagon had, in crossing,
been struck by a shell and the horses killed. The battery of the 2d
Rhode Island Regiment were there, and four of their six guns; after
getting one of these over, they dismounted and spiked the remaining
three, the men and horses fording the stream. In our regiment it was
impossible to preserve order, and ours, like that of the others,
became a go-as-you-please march in fording the stream; Governor
Sprague strove to halt the regiment and make a stand to beat back the
enemy, whereupon Colonel Burnside very promptly informed the
Governor, in unmistakable and incontrovertible language, that
himself was in command of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment. After
crossing, the road branched off to the left, beyond the range of the
enemy's fire, and our regiment re-formed and waited until most of the
demoralized troops had passed, after which we marched in good order
back to our bush camp at Centreville that we had left in the morning,
reaching there at 9 P. M., tired, hungry, thirsty and dusty, and many
of the regiment wounded. To add to our general discomfort, a
drizzling rain had set in, and we were without blankets, having, as
before stated, left them on the field, with our h