Three Years in the Federal CavalryGlazier, Willard W.
History
Three Years in the Federal Cavalry
Glazier, Willard W.
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives
Our march was resumed the following day at ten o'clock A. M., and early
in the afternoon we captured the "Quaker Guns" at Centreville. The enemy
had actually placed in the earthworks or forts which commanded the road,
large trunks of trees, resembling cannon of heavy calibre, which frowned
down upon us from the heights. Had it not been for the information we
had received from contrabands on the march, that the enemy had evacuated,
a report confirmed by the curling smoke which rose from various parts of
the field, this formidable array of threatening cannon would have
terrified us all, and greatly retarded our progress. Indeed, it was not
till after the suspicious works had been thoroughly scanned with
field-glasses that we were ordered to advance, when the strong position
was carried without the snapping of a cap, or a sabre stroke. Chagrin
was written upon every face. Not a sign of the enemy was visible, save
the deserted remains of their winter-quarters, which fell into our hands.
A very brief halt was here made, and, hurrying our steps, we soon
crossed the memorable Bull Run, and came up with the rearguard of the
retiring army at Manassas Junction. Here we pitched into them, and
kicked up a little dust on the road to Bristoe. This expedition, or
wild-goose chase, was continued to Warrenton Junction, where General
George D. Stoneman found the enemy in force, but returned without
attacking them. Having loitered about these historic fields a few days,
our whole force began to fall back towards its old position on the
Potomac, establishing our advanced picket-lines, however, as far forward
as Centreville, with Fairfax Court House as headquarters. Our line of
pickets intercepts the Leesburg turnpike at Drainesville and extends to
the Potomac, a distance of about twenty miles.
GUERILLAS AND BUSHWHACKERS.
As guerillas and their brethren, the bushwhackers, infest the country
more or less, picketing is dangerous as well as difficult. Between the
Rappahannock and the Potomac lies a vast territory which abounds in
creeks, marshes, deep, dark forests, with only here and there a village
or settlement. A little to the west of this plain extend the Bull Run
Mountains, with their ravines and caverns. This is a very fit
hiding-place for mischief-makers. The guerillas consist mostly of
farmers and mechanics, residents of this region, who, by some means, are
exempt from the Rebel conscription. Most of them follow their usual
avocations daring the day, and have their rendezvous at night, where
they congregate to lay their plans of attack on the pickets.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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