the extreme right of the Army of the Potomac, their picket line extending from the river past Prospect Hill over towards Lewinsville. The camp of the Second was to the right of the Chain Bridge and Drainesville pike, on a low and badly drained piece of ground, at the base of a wooded hill, near the Langley School-House, which was occupied as the head-quarters of the First Brigade.

During the first ten days, the "long roll" was beaten, and the men got under arms five times. On the night of the 11th, the pickets in the neighborhood of Lewinsville were driven in, and the next day the enemy consisting of at least three regiments of infantry, some cavalry and a battery of six guns, were discovered near Miner's Hill, concealed in the woods, which led to the supposition that an attack was meditated the next morning. At noon the drums beat, and the men got into fighting order. General McClellan and staff, including the Comte de Paris and the Duc de Chartres, rode over and remainded during the night at Smoot's house, and at midnight the drums again beat and every preparation was made for an attack.

It was a clear and beautiful night, the moon shone forth in its mild beauty; the stars twinkled with resplendent glory, and not a cloud glided through the sky. The drums beat "the long roll," the trumpets of the cavalry and artillery sounded their shrill blasts, and the bands of the infantry pealed forth their most soul-inspiring strains. The camp-fires burned brightly, the glittering bayonets and sabres flashed in the light, and every heart beat high with hope. At two A. M., various columns of troops, on the Maryland side of the Potomac, were put in motion, and moved across the river to a position from which they could be easily thrown to any point of the line the emergency might require. Among them were some four thousand cavalry and fifty pieces of artillery. But alas, after remaining in position until daylight, chilled with the falling dews, the boys were doomed to disappointment. Beauregard had only been on a

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reconnoisance in force, to ascertain our position since the recent extension of our front.

About this time Orderly Sergeant Richard Clendining, Company H, was elected Second Lieutenant, vice Robert H. Porter, resigned, July 21st. Also, Sergeant James R. Nightingale, Company C, Second Lieutenant, vice Frank Fox, resigned.

About eleven o'clock on the night of the 18th, orders were issued for the Reserves to prepare to move early the next morning, with three days cooked rations in haversacks, and accordingly there was a busy time that night around the camp-fires. Early in the morning, the regiments were in line, and at seven o'clock they moved off up the pike towards Drainesville. The First Brigade, General Reynolds took the lead with a squadron of the Reserve cavalry, Colonel Bayard in the van, followed by two batteries of the Reserve artillery, Colonel Campbell, the "Bucktails" and infantry with the ambulances, or "avalanches," as the boys called them, bringing up the rear. Crossing Difficult creek, we continued on through Drainesville, and halted to bivouac three miles beyond. Soon after General McClellan rode up and ordered us to fall back about four miles to Thornton's house, at the forks of the Chain Bridge and Leesburg and Alexandria pikes. The artillery was posted to sweep the roads, pickets thrown out, and the men put in a heavy woods, where they slept peacefully.

When we first commenced our retrograde movement many surmises that soon assumed the shape of rumors were set afloat, and as we at that time were incapable of judging of military movements, they received much credence. An orderly came dashing down the road in search of General Reynolds and almost breathlessly informed him, there were "forty thousand rebels coming down upon us." "Forty thousand old fools," replied the General, "go back to where you came from."

The Second Brigade lay that night about three miles in our rear, and the Third about three miles in their rear

at Difficult creek, to preserve our communication and prevent our rear being turned, General Smith's division was also moved out the Alexandria and Leesburg turnpike, to cover that road and those leading from Centreville to Drainesville.

The next morning by daylight the boys were up and hard at work cutting down the chestnut trees in the woods to get the nuts, and the squealing of pigs was heard in various directions. An old hen that had been roosting on a tree commenced cackling, which attracted the attention of a soldier who was passing by. "Madam," said the boy, "you had better have kept your mouth shut," as he knocked her off with a stone. These proceedings were however put a stop to, and the boys restricted to the limits of the camp.

On our march up we found a number of houses abandoned by their occupants, who had fled on our approach under the impression we were Mamelukes and Bedouins. coming to murder and destroy all we found. At some places we found the furniture carried out on the lawn ready for moving. We also found houses that had been abandoned for some time, their inhabitants having been driven away by their neighbors on account of their Union sentiments.

During the day detachments were sent out to reconnoitre the neighboring roads and country and make a plane table survey of a great portion of it, and along the Loudon and Hampshire railroad in several places they encountered the enemy's scouts, killing two and wounding four of them. The next morning, the 21st, General McCall having accomplished the object of his advance, in obedience to orders received that morning from General McClellan, returned to camp.

Much comment was made at the time through the public press in regard to this movement, as the battle of "Ball's Bluff" took place upon the day of our return, and we were in a position to have been pushed forward

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in the enemy's rear, and probably reversed the fortune of the day.

In the official report of General McClellan, he states that General Banks sent a despatch to him on the 20th, that the signal station at Sugar Loaf telegraphed that the enemy had moved away from Leesburg, upon which he telegraphed to General Stone that McCall occupied Drainesville, and desired him to keep a good look-out upon Leesburg, and to make a slight demonstration, to̟ see if the movement had the effect of driving them away. This despatch was received by General Stone at eleven o'clock A. M., and he immediately despatched Captain Philbrick, Fifteenth Massachusetts Volunteers with twenty men on a reconnoissance towards Leesburg, who returned that night and reported having advanced within a mile of the town without finding any enemy. He had then accomplished all that had been expected of him. It is probable that that night he conceived the idea of capturing the town by a brilliant coup, and the next day commenced the crossing of infantry, horses and artillery over the broad and rapid river in three scows. The disastrous results of this rash undertaking are well known. General Stone acknowledged before the "Committee on the conduct of the war," that the movement on the 21st originated with himself, and was not ordered by General McClellan.

Upon the return of the Reserves to camp, General McCall was ordered to rest his men, and to hold them in readiness to return to Drainesville at a moment's notice..

The camp of our regiment was moved about a half mile to the north-east, on a fine high and sloping piece of ground, terminating abruptly towards the pike in a steep hill. At the base of this were the quartermaster's and sutler's tents and the guard house. On the crest was located the field and staff, and on the slope the company tents, with a fine parade ground beyond.

About this time First Lieutenant R. H. Loudon, Company A, resigned, and Second Lieutenant Horace Neide

was elected to fill the vacancy. Orderly Sergeant John J. Ross was chosen second lieutenant of the same company, and Mr. Neide was appointed adjutant of the regiment. Quartermaster-sergeant Wesley S. Mann having some time before been honorably discharged the service, John L. Benzon was appointed in his place, and William A. Hoyt made commissary-sergeant.

On the 22d, an election was held for lieutenant colonel, which resulted in the unanimous choice of Major William McCandless.

On the 28th, General McCall reviewed the Reserve, consisting of the thirteen regiments of General Reynolds and Meade, and Colonel McCalmont's brigades, the First Reserve Cavalry, Colonel George D. Bayard, and the First Reserve Artillery, Colonel Charles F. Campbell, in front of Johnson's Hill. The field contained but about forty acres, the regiments were formed in divisions closed in mass, which wheeled into column in mass, and moved forward to where General McCall and staff were stationed but before reaching him, the divisions broke into companies at wheeling distance, and passed in review. When the line began thus to uncoil itself, it reached a great distance, and presented a splendid spectacle.

When Colonel Mann raised the regiment, his intention was to remain in the service until Washington was safe, and on the first of November, feeling the object for which he came out was accomplished, he resigned and returned to his profession. While in command of the regiment, he was assiduous in his attention to the welfare of the men, frequently examining their rations, visiting their quarters and the hospital, and tempering the rigid discipline necessary to the formation of a soldier with a fatherly care. With his ability, if he had remained in the service, and had not had his "light put out," the eagles upon his shoulders would have undoubtedly soared until they reached the stars.

While at Tennallytown, the men were kept half of the time in digging earthworks and building forts, and but