Within a few days General Gregg was directed to cross the Potomac at
Harper's Ferry and move out to the vicinity of the road leading from
Martinsburg to Winchester, which was General Lee's line of
communications, to do what was possible to cripple his wagon trains. We
moved through Charlestown and the next day reached Shepherdstown, where
the Confederates had large stores of provisions. The people there were
divided in sentiment, some sympathizing with the South, and a few with
the Union army. With a view of rewarding the Union sympathizers, some of
us took flour and bacon from the Confederate stores and presented it to
the families that we believed to be in sympathy with the Union, to the
disgust of those who favored the South. This proved to be an unfortunate
performance on our part for the recipients of our favors. While this was
going on the enemy attacked and drove in our pickets and advanced in
force. Fortunately the First Maine cavalry was mounted and on the road,
going out for forage. Colonel Smith, their commander, at once deployed
his regiment and checked the rapid advance of the enemy until General
Gregg could get out the rest of the command and occupy a good position.
That morning some prisoners were brought in and as they were taking a
squad to the rear I asked one of the men what regiment he belonged to.
Upon his reply that it was the Twenty-eighth Louisiana and that it was
from New Orleans, I asked him if he knew any one by the name of Sykes.
He inquired if he was one of the auctioneer's sons. On telling him he
was, he replied that they had two in his regiment and that one of them
had been wounded and left back at some place, which I do not now recall.
This Sykes was a second cousin of mine. On writing home I reported the
circumstance to my mother, whose brother, my uncle, shortly after
visited New Orleans and was thus able to give information to Sykes's
mother in New Orleans regarding her son, she up to that time having had
no word as to his whereabouts or condition. He subsequently recovered.
About this time General Gregg received word that Lee's army had entirely
recrossed the Potomac, so it was too late to accomplish anything with
two brigades. He also found that they were moving around to surround us,
as several couriers were captured on the way from Harper's Ferry, the
main roads leading there then being occupied by the enemy. General
Gregg, as usual under such conditions, made a splendid fight, the enemy
making repeated efforts to drive us, but were every time repulsed by
Irwin Gregg's brigade and the fire of our battery. They kept up their
attacks until dark. That night the wounded who could be moved were
started back for Harper's Ferry by a road close to the river's edge, the
only one not occupied by the enemy, the General and his staff leaving
some time after midnight, and our rearguard about daylight. Within due
time we reached Harper's Ferry with no losses other than the killed and
those so badly wounded that we were unable to move them. These were left
in a church with a surgeon and the ladies of Shepherdstown, who were
zealous in their efforts to assist in alleviating the suffering of our
men.
During August and September, the division was kept busy watching the
movements of the enemy. Several skirmishes and engagements occurred. The
most notable that I recall was one during the advance from Sulphur
Springs to Culpeper and thence to the Rapidan, which I think was in
September. Kilpatrick's division came by way of Brandy Station while we
moved from Sulphur Springs, the two divisions meeting about midday at
Culpeper. After stopping to feed, the advance was resumed when, just
beyond that town, the enemy made a sharp counter attack, but we finally,
when our reserves were brought up, drove them back. Later in the day we
went into camp in an abandoned cornfield, when it began to rain and we
remained there in the rain for I think forty-eight hours. Indeed, my
clothing had been wet through for probably sixty hours, because on the
morning of the advance before we arrived at Culpeper we reached a bridge
which the enemy had set fire to, thus temporarily checking our advance.
As the General rode up some of our men were pulling off the plank. I
noticed that this would not save the bridge, since the combustible
material was suspended from below. Riding into the stream and under the
bridge I began pulling down the burning material thus suspended, others
following and helping me, and within a few minutes we had the fire out,
the planks restored, and, with our mounted men fording the stream, we
were able to take our artillery across, when the enemy fell back. As we
were liable at any moment to meet with a counter charge, I was afraid to
take time to get off my horse and take my long cavalry boots off to pour
the water out of them, consequently I rode with about half a pail of
water in each boot-leg for a good part of the day. This fact and the
rain coming on later was the reason why my clothing was wet for the
period mentioned. No ill results, however, followed this, for when the
sun finally came out my clothes were soon dry.