On the 12th day of July Companies A and F under marching orders, left Fort No. 1 and Baltimore for Washington City, where we arrived early the next morning. We lay at the depot until ten o’clock, when we were ordered to “fall in” and with the balance of the Regiment marched up Pennsylvania Ave., greeted by the cheers of the crowds who lined the sidewalks and filled the windows of the buildings. We marched past the White House and the Treasury buildings. At the latter we saw President Lincoln on the steps waving his high hat as we marched by. We went over into Georgetown, where, after a short rest, we joined the 19th Corps in the chase of Early, who, after being repulsed at Fort Stephens retreated to the Shenandoah Valley. We marched to Edwards Ferry, on the Potomac, which we forded about five o’clock in the evening. Disrobing, we tied our clothes around our guns, and at “right shoulder shift arms” entered the water. It was an amusing sight to look up and across the river, at the boys struggling through the water. It was about waist deep and some current. The rocks on the river bottom were slippery, and every little while a boy would go down, gun, clothes and all under water, to struggle on again amid the cheers and laughter of his comrades. But we finally all crossed over and we were told not to dress until we had forded Goose Creek which entered the Potomac a short distance ahead. Early in his haste to get away had burned some of his wagons on the road, and we, in our bare feet had to pick our way carefully through the ashes, which were still glowing. It was amusing. We camped that night on the banks of Goose Creek. The next morning early the march was resumed and we went into camp at Leesburg, Va., where we rested the balance of the day and night. We were ordered to guard the wagon train, and by easy marches reached Snickers Gap on July 17. Our train was halted about a mile back of the Gap and our Regiment camped on a mountain side. CATTLE IN THE CORN. While resting in the camp on this mountain slope, from which the corn fields stretched away for miles, the army cattle were driven up, the fence bars were let down and the cattle turned in to a large field, beautiful in its waving green product. In one hour’s time that field looked like new ploughed ground, not a green blade was left. The army advanced to the Gap, and in crossing the ford the enemy opened fire upon them, and a brisk engagement followed. From our position we could hear the cannon and see the smoke of the battle. This continued until sunset. We were ordered out on picket, and took our posts in the woods, being cautioned to keep a sharp outlook. Our troops began to fall back, and our second sergeant brought in the pickets exclaiming in breathless haste “The army is cut to pieces and in full retreat.”