On the 13th our entire regiment went on picket, a portion of the line being across the creek, when, to the surprise of every one, the enemy opened fire from a masked battery, and shelled our camp for about two hours, when the 1st and 3d brigades of our division were sent out to look into the matter. They soon found the Rebels in strong force, when orders were sent for the brigades to return, but the Adjutant General, after having delivered the order to the 3d brigade, had his horse shot under him, and failing to give the order to our brigade, they kept on advancing, until they were heavily engaged, and very soon were forced back, being overpowered by a greatly superior force. Our brigade lost heavily, Col. Wells, commanding, and his Adjutant General were killed and left on the field. Our picket-line was now changed to a skirmish-line, being reinforced by two companies from the 116th O. V. I. We held our position firmly, and about midnight advanced a half mile, and found that the Rebels had fallen back. We laid here several days, doing picket and forage duty, receiving some reinforcements by men returning from hospitals. One day one hundred men were called for to go with a forage train. Every precaution was used, but the Forage Master thought there was no danger, and staying out of reach of our protecting Springfields, was gobbled up with one of his wagons by some bushwhackers, and started towards “Dixie’s Land.” The rest of the train, well loaded, reached camp about 9 o’clock P. M., very tired, having traveled twenty-four miles over mountain roads. On the 18th of October the regiment, in conjunction with the 11th Virginia, made a reconnaissance to within a half mile of the enemy’s camp. We could plainly see them lying around under the trees, but nothing to indicate the movement that, on the morrow, was to startle the nation, and shake the army of the Shenandoah to the very centre. At half past 4 on the morning of October 19th, the regiment was routed out by a straggling picket fire in our front; the word was passed along that the enemy were advancing, and the men quietly fell into line along the breast-work. The other brigades, however, failed to observe the warning, or were too slow in “falling in.” The Rebels easily turned the right of our corps, getting over the works with little or no opposition, many of the men being still asleep in their tents.