evening 125 cavalry retreated from our scouts. We had effectually driven the enemy out of Loudoun County.

Deeming Leesburg and its vicinity now perfectly safe without a garrison (from the pledges given by the inhabitants), I ordered Lieutenant-Colonel De Korponay to join me with his detachment, that I might concentrate my forces against any attempt made upon the left of the column on this line, and prevent destruction intended to impede the progress of our troops. It was necessary to keep these mountains clear, as they afforded great natural advantages of defense. We reconnoitered some distance along the railroad and found the country very rugged and mountainous. Three or four bridges had been burned, one of them over Goose Creek at Piedmont. We extended it also into the mountain region towards the river through Paris. About 125 cavalry fled as we approached Piedmont on the 19th. We took prisoners of the Eighth Virginia Infantry and the Sixth Virginia Cavalry.

As a portion of our supply train was absent at Harper's Ferry, a short delay was occasioned in obeying Special Orders, No. 2, dated March 23, ordering the command to proceed to Aldie. We were without sufficient transportation for subsistence and quartermaster's stores. In conformity with said orders the detachment at Leesburg, under De Korponay, Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, was ordered to proceed to Aldie and rejoin this command there, leaving Leesburg without a garrison.

On the 21st large bodies of rebels were reported in and around Warrenton and Salem.

On the 24th, in obedience to orders from General Williams, we marched to Aldie and encamped, and on the following morning, under orders from General Abercrombie to march to Winchester to support the division, we returned to Snickersville, where we were joined by our Leesburg detachment and encamped.

Receiving contra orders on the following morning from yourself, through General Abercrombie, to push forward to White Plains and commence repairs on the railroad towards Strasburg, we took up the line of march at noon, encamped at Philomont at sunset, and on the following morning marched to Middleburg, where we repulsed a body of about 300 of the enemy's cavalry will a reserve of infantry, who had approached from the direction of Upperville. We opened a well-directed fire upon them, when they retreated in disorder to the mountains. Owing to the violent secession feeling manifested in this town, we remained here a day a half and enlisted some of the leading men of the place in our wishes to preserve order. Among others who gave their parole were Generals Rogers and Wright, and Colonel Chancellor, the latter of the One hundred and thirty-second Virginia Militia.

A revulsion of feeling took place, and we left on the morning of the 29th, and reached White Plains at 2 o'clock of the same afternoon. We found no troops here. We encamped in the strongest position on the road. We proceeded to examine the line of railroad to Salem and also to Thoroughfare, and found it in good order to Salem, and the only break in the direction of Thoroughfare was a burned bridge about 1 1/2 miles from the town. The bridge was 40 feet long, in two spans, resting on a stone pier in the center, which remained undisturbed. Immediately after our occupation of the place the rebels evacuated Warrenton.

Late in the afternoon of April 1 I received an order from General McClellan, through General Abercrombie, dated March 29, to proceed at once to Warrenton Junction and report for temporary duty to General