s, knapsacks, and all sorts of
litter that soldiers could throw away, and over these and
the loose stones of the rough road we stumbled in the
dark, amid choking dust, and up and down the long rolling
hills that the army marched over so often afterwards
during that terrible war. Still, I well remember that it
seemed to me a sort of wild picnic; and I would clutch my
gun and feel of my cartridges in a very determined mood
to defend Washington to the death.

Wearily the night wore on; and steadily I tramped,
talking in the dark, from time to time, with
strangers--men from all parts of the Union whom I didn't
see then and probably never saw afterwards. Bad as it was
to march in the dust, it was still worse when it began to
rain just before daybreak. Gently it came at first; and
slowly the dust became a thick paste of slippery mud.
Steadily the storm increased till it became a downpour. I
had on a thin black summer suit, a straw hat, and a pair
of low-cut thin shoes and white stockings. When day broke
we were a bedraggled, thoroughly soaked, mud-stained
party. Of all that vast crowd probably I presented the
worst appearance, for I was the only citizen in that
section of the crowd. I bantered jokes with such as were
in joking mood, but most of the crowd were now silent and
weary. All along the road lay men asleep in the pouring
rain. There were blood blisters on my feet, but never
once did I stop except to get a drink of water at a brook
just after daylight. The rain now fell in torrents; we
were literally wading in mud and water.

The thirty miles from Centreville to Washington seemed
three times that distance. My gun grew more and more
heavy, and I shifted it constantly. It was about ten
o'clock Monday forenoon when I reached the Virginia end
of Long Bridge. A strong guard was posted there to stop
the troops; for Washington was already full of fugitive
soldiers. Forcing my way through a vast mob of shouting,
cursing soldiers, I reached the officer in charge, and
got a rough reception. First he doubted my pass; next he
wanted to take away my musket, but I protested that I had
saved it from the enemy; and at length he allowed me to
pass carrying the gun I had so honestly won. I went down
Pennsylvania Avenue much stare