mirable, always doing their duty promptly and cheerfully. During the last attack upon General Buford, so close upon our left and rear, not a man or even teamster left his place, and the rear guard obeyed orders as quietly and steadily as if on dress parade. To every officer, and to all the man in the command, I am indebted for their most hearty co-operation. The zeal and energy of the officers and endurance and cheerfulness of the men were beyond all praise.

During the whole march we lost six boats, which were all burned. This was all the property of any value lost, and I am told we are commended at headquarters for getting the trains through with so little loss.

On arriving at Fairfax Station I had hoped for some rest for men and teams, but I was mistaken.

Soon after arriving there I received an order by telegraph to send the teams to Alexandria with a sufficient guard and move with the Third Corps with the balance of my command. About an hour afterward an orderly brought me the same order from headquarters, except that Washington was specified for the trains instead of Alexandria. Before they were ready to start, I received orders that if the trains had started for Alexandria to order them back, and move with all my trains and my command for Fairfax Court-House; also to send for additional boats and material from Washington.

We reached Fairfax Court-House about dark. During the night I received orders to move early in the morning for Centreville with all my trains, and to call on the quartermaster at Fairfax Court-House for any assistance I might want in the way of teams.

The trains were started soon after daylight, and at 9 a. m. we reached Centreville and went into camp. There I was ordered to make up a train of five boats, and material for a bridge over Bull Run, at Blackburn's Ford, which Captain Mendell took charge of in order to give my men a little rest.

Captain Folwell arrived with the train from Washington on the evening of the 17th instant.

The 18th (Sunday) we rested in camp.

On Monday morning I was ordered to dismantle and load the bridge at Blackburn's Ford and move forward my train with the army. We had just got this bridge loaded and the trains moved to the heights of Centreville when I received orders to throw four bridges across Bull Run at points designated. These trains were made up and sent forward, as follows: Captain Hine to Island Ford (finally changed to Ball's Ford), Captain McDonald to Mitchell's Ford, Lieutenant Beers to Blackburn's Ford, and Captain Folwell to McLean's Ford. These bridges were all completed before noon, and in the afternoon the balance of the trains were moved across Bull Run and we went into camp on the southwest side, near McLean's Ford.

On Tuesday, the 20th instant, these bridges were all taken up and concentrated about a mile north of Manassas Station, where we went into camp, except Captain Hine and his company, who were left near Ball's Ford to rebuild the bridge there in case of emergency.

On Wednesday all the trains, including Captain Hine's, were brought up to Bristoe Station and parked, and we went into camp.

Yesterday and to-day our men were occupied in putting our trains and tools in order, and building a heavy, double-track, corduroy bridge across Broad Run at this point.

We have now thirty-three serviceable boats, with the requisite amount of other material. Two damaged pontoons, with a number