We were in the rear of the army as it fell back upon Centreville, formed in line as a reserve. The rest of the cavalry had moved on after the infantry, leaving us to hold a hill from which the enemy might have annoyed them with artillery. We sat there without seeing anything in particular, wondering why the rebels did not come out of the woods beyond us; when suddenly there was a big puff of smoke at the edge of the trees, a loud bang, and a tremendous screech in the air above our heads, so close that the sound almost took my head off. I looked at the Captain, expecting to hear him say, “By fours, do something or other”; but he only said, “Steady!” as there was another puff, another bang, and another screech, as a big black mass of iron struck the ground ten yards in front of us, bounded over our heads, and burst almost above us. It gave such a shock to my nerves that I could not do anything but shake, and I felt as if I should have much preferred to be under the ground rather than above it. Those rebels banged away at us for half a dozen rounds, each time striking close to us, before I saw our skirmish-line come riding back at a walk, and heard the Captain give the order, “By fours, march! Right counter-march!” and back we started. Two files in front of me marched Dan E--, one of those fellows who always has his retort ready. I heard the man next to him scolding at Dan’s crowding him out of place: “Why can’t you follow your file-leader?” “Hang the file-leader,” answered Dan, pushing him harder yet; “they’ve got the range of him.” And as he spoke a shell came down and buried itself in the earth just where he would have been if he had kept in his place. I need not say that we all turned aside after that, and pretty soon we got safely out of reach. Now I know what artillery and musketry are both like; and I sincerely hope that I shall not face it again. VIII HOW CUSHING DESTROYED THE “ALBEMARLE” _One of the Bravest Deeds in Naval History_