_December 20._--To-day a brigade of Pennsylvanians, including two squadrons of Colonel Bayard's cavalry regiment, the whole force under command of General E. O. C. Ord, while foraging in the vicinity of Drainesville, were attacked by a Rebel force nearly equal in numbers, with General J. E. B. Stuart commanding in person. A lively contest followed, in which the Rebels were thoroughly beaten and driven from the field, losing, according to their own accounts, about two hundred and fifty in killed, wounded, and captured. They left twenty-five dead horses on the field, with the debris of two caissons, disabled and exploded by the well-directed fire of Easton's battery, which accompanied the expedition. The Rebels, who had undoubtedly come out for the purpose of forage as well as ourselves, having a long wagon train, retreated toward Fairfax Court House, with their wagons laden with their wounded. Our loss includes only nine killed and sixty wounded. Unimportant as this victory might seem, it caused an immense rejoicing in the Union ranks. It was a fitting answer to the calumny heaped upon us from both North and South, that our soldiers could not fight, and were no match for their boastful enemy. CHAPTER IV. THE ADVANCE TO THE RAPPAHANNOCK. 1862.--"All quiet along the Potomac."--Preparations.--Army of the Potomac Moves!--Capture of the "Quaker Guns" at Centreville.--Return to Defences.--Guerillas.--Their Attacks and Stratagems.--The Bovine Foe.--Picketing; how it is done.--Sufferings.--McClellan to the Peninsula.--Virginia Weather and the People.--General Augur's Advance to the Rappahannock.--Lieutenant Decker's Bravery and Death.--Night Charge on Falmouth Heights.--Fredericksburg Surrenders.--How Citizens regard us.--Guarding a Train to Thoroughfare Gap.--Fight and Captures at Flipper's Orchard.--Shenandoah Valley.--The Fifth New York Cavalry, First Ira Harris' Guard.--Death of Turner Ashby.--Strange Cavalry Tactics.--Personal Bravery of Captain Hammond.--End of the Peninsular Campaign.