with interest by both. By the accurate of Captain Alexander's Baltimore battery from the star fort, the enemy guns were soon dismounted and their driven out. As my regiment occupied a position in line not 50 yards from the star fort, and within range of the enemy's guns, many of their shells exploded directly over the heads of officers men of my regiment, who apparently paid as little attention to them as if they had been harmless missiles. The coolness of officers and men under this heavy fire was truly admirable. About 8 p. m. an attempt was made to storm the main fort, occupied by General Milroy, but the storming party was promptly met and repulsed, General Milroy, commanding in person . It was now quite dark, and the firing ceased on all sides. About 1 a. m. on Monday, 15th, I was informed by Colonel McReynolds that it was determined by a council of war to evacuate the forts and fall back on Harper's Ferry, " taking nothing that goes on wheels", and that to my regiment was assigned the post of honor - that of bringing up and protecting the rear of our forces. At 2 o'clock the main body of the division having reached the Winchester and Martinsburg turnpike, I marched with a strong rear guard in inverse order, expecting an attack in rear by the rebel cavalry, and never for one moment anticipating trouble in front. The wily enemy, however, by a rapid flank movement, had succeeded in throwing a heavy force of artillery and infantry in our front, at a point about 4 miles from Winchester, on the Martinsburg road, and opened a terrific fire upon our retreating forces. Being in the rear at this juncture of affairs-I was at least a half mile from the scene of action, the shell passing over and beyond us in the direction of Martinsburg ; the incessant roll of musketry, of the sharp and rapid fire of artillery, and exciting intelligence passing down to the rear through the various commands with the rapidity of thought, all of which caused me to feel that the services of my regiment might be needed in front, not in the rear, and being left for some time without orders from our brigade commander, who was, as I left to suppose, in front with the infantry of his command -I assumed the responsibility of moving up my regiment quickly to the front, where the most sanguinary conflict was raging between the contending forces. The Eighty-seventh Pennsylvania Infantry, Colonel Schall, the Eighteenth Connecticut, Colonel Ely, and the One hundred and tenth Ohio, Colonel Keifer, were at this moment charging upon a rebel battery, strongly supported by infantry, and right gallantly did they accomplish the work, Major General R. H. Milroy leading the charge in person, accompanied by two members of his staff. I charged down the lines to the front, but just before reaching the position of the enemy's guns, I came in contact with a perfect barricade of telegraph wire wound together and stretched from tree across roads and through woods and fields, so as to completely obstruct the farther progress of cavalry in this direction. I formed my command in line of battle about 100 yards to the left of the road, in an open field, and awaited orders. At this moment the enemy, with a superior force, which had been concealed in the woods, dashed upon our victorious infantry, driving them back after a desperate struggle, and retaking their guns, turned them upon us with terrible effect. And here I assert, without the slightest fear of contradiction, that, with not more than a half dozen exceptions, the officers and men of the First New York Cavalry, in forming three