Next day was fought the first Battle Bull Run. We were ordered to join the other wing of the Regiment, at Fairfax Court House, arriving just before the stragglers began to appear from our defeated army. We were formed in the road, in sections, and ordered to stop all stragglers. Talk of stopping a cyclone; it was impossible. The rush of soldiers, congressmen, and other civilians, from Washington, literally forced us from the highway. I saw three officers on one mule, hatless, coatless, and unarmed, and apparently badly frightened; the Johnnies did not follow up with any force. The 4th was soon on the way to Washington. We returned to our old camp, on Meridian Hill. Early in fall of '61, the Regiment built fort Woodbury, on Arlington, and done picket duty. Later on, we were moved out to Minor's Hill, Virginia, and built winter quarters, and remained there during the winter 1861-2. The Regiment, with 14th New York, 9th Massachusetts, and 62nd Pennsylvania, formed 2d Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps, commanded by Fitz John Porter, a brave and skilfull officer, who was afterwards much abused; for I believe we had no more loyal officer in the field; to the contrary notwithstanding, his traducers tried to drag him down. Nothing of a startling nature occurred here, during the winter. Our time was occupied in picket, camp, guard, and other routine work. A laughable incident occurred here in camp, which illustrates the desire of the common soldier FOR FUN AND FROLIC. [Illustration: {A soldier with a gun-sling in the firing position.}]