General Hooker, commander of the Army of the Potomac, having been
satisfied, as a result of the cavalry engagements here described, that
General Lee intended to invade Maryland, Gregg's division, as did the
rest of the army in a few days, crossed the Potomac at Edward's Ferry at
night. It was moonlight, and I, in common with others, experienced a
strange sensation as we watched our columns crossing the pontoon
bridges, the bands playing, _Maryland, my Maryland_. We then marched for
Frederick, reaching that city before noon of the next day. As we rode
down its main street we witnessed a sight the like of which we had been
unfamiliar with, since in Virginia, being the enemy's country, the
people when we entered a town either concealed themselves, or, when
seen, showed by their demeanor that they either detested or feared us.
In Frederick, however, every house was decorated and the porches filled
with people enthusiastically waving and making every demonstration of
delight. We soon after marched through Liberty and to New Windsor. In
the former place we met our infantry passing through the town as we rode
in. Here we saw ladies with servants standing in the streets beside the
marching column, handing out cakes, milk, and lemonade to the tired and
dusty infantrymen, who were not permitted to halt, one lady remarking in
my presence, "Isn't it a shame that they won't allow them to rest."
Later in the day we stopped at New Windsor, where the General made his
headquarters at the little village hotel. Near this hotel, Johns, the
General's orderly, and I were offered refreshments by a lady who kept a
young ladies' boarding school. At this school were about fourteen
enthusiastic young girls who overwhelmed us with attentions. Indeed,
they took the ribbons from their necks and braided the manes of our
horses with them, and mine had a red, white, and blue rosette attached
to his forelock. We soon moved on, but that night the General was
ordered to return to this town. On getting this information I mentioned
it to my comrade Johns, and suggested that as soon as it got a little
dark we should ride on ahead of the column, when we might again meet the
schoolgirls, which we subsequently did. The General made his
headquarters at the little hotel beside the school-building, and we took
our horses inside the village cemetery adjoining the school-grounds and
tied them to the fence, taking off the saddles, and spreading our
blankets on the ground. As we were drawing them over our heads on
turning in for the night, we heard a call from one of the upper windows
of the school, which was filled with faces, telling us to remember our
dreams, for dreams dreamt on a strange pillow often came true. We knew
no more till about daylight, when we awakened and found it had been
raining. While we were feeding and grooming our horses, a servant came
to us with an invitation from the mistress of the school, stating that
breakfast would be ready for us in a few minutes, and that we would find
water, soap, and towels on the back porch where we "might refresh
ourselves." We soon repaired to the porch where we found two white china
basins, and fresh water, soap, and towels. This was a novelty, as
hitherto a piece of a grain bag which we carried in our saddle-pocket
was what we used when a towel was necessary. The breakfast-table was
spread on the back porch. Noticing the General's horse saddled, we
expressed a fear that he might start while we were at breakfast, when
the lady proposed to have the table removed to the front porch where we
could see the General when he came out to mount. This was done and at
this most bountiful meal we had about a dozen girls to wait on us, each
with her album for us to write our autographs in. The General soon
appeared, when, thanking the ladies for their hospitality, we moved on.
As soon as Captain Weir, the adjutant-general, saw me he began to
censure me for being absent that night as he had a lot of writing to do
which I should have done, when one of the staff-officers, noticing my
horse's mane and the rosette on his forelock, pointed them out to him.
He, evidently appreciating the situation, withheld any further comment.
Within the next day or so we marched to Westminster and to Manchester,
leaving the latter place by daylight for York, where it was reported the
Confederate cavalry were, and Gregg was sent to attack them. We reached
the hills beyond York some time that afternoon and saw their pickets.
Just at this time a despatch was received from the corps commander
stating that fighting had begun at Gettysburg and that General Gregg was
to report there with his command with all possible speed. He thereupon
started the column for Gettysburg by way of Hanover. We marched the rest
of that afternoon and through the night, reaching Hanover about two
o'clock in the morning. As in many Pennsylvania towns, this had a public
square, at one end of which was a market-house with a road on either
side of it, and the General had to awaken some of the citizens to
ascertain which was the direct road to Gettysburg. We noticed dead
horses in the streets of Hanover, and the citizens told us of the fight
Kilpatrick's division had had there the afternoon before, in which he
succeeded in driving away the Confederate cavalry that attacked him as
he was passing through the town. While the General was waiting to
ascertain the right road to Gettysburg, I fell asleep sitting on a
zinc-covered fish stall, my bridle rein in my hand. On awaking I
discovered the command had all moved on; learning the road they took, I
hurried on and soon overtook them.