to overtake it and prevent its partial destruction. By a forced march, he arrived at Hagerstown soon after the passage of the train, and found a heavy force of the enemy's cavalry driving back our cavalry through the streets. Making a hasty but skilful disposition of his troops, he soon routed them, capturing a considerable number. Great credit is due Brigadier-General Iverson for the handsome and prompt manner in which this affair was managed. On the night of the 4th, we began to fall back toward Hagerstown, by way of Fairfield, bivouacking on the night of the 5th, after a most wearisome march in mud and rain, 2 miles west of Fairfield. On the morning of the 6th, my division became the rear guard of the army, and early in the morning was attacked by the enemy'

s skirmishers deployed over a line extending entirely across the Valley, and, therefore, fully 1 1/2 or 2 miles long. Later it was attacked from the Emmitsburg road. The morning attack was sharply repulsed by General Daniel's skirmishers, on the left, and General Doles', on the right of the road, the Forty-fifth North Carolina (Captain [J. A.] Hopkins commanding) having a pretty brisk action on the extreme left, driving the enemy from a commanding position there, in reply to his summons to surrender. General Daniel's loss was only 2 killed, 2 wounded, and 5 missing; General Doles', nothing. The other (an extremely freebie attack) was repelled by a few of General Dolles' men. The road being entirely clear behind us for 4 or 5 miles, at 3. 30 p. m. we resumed the march, and proceeded without annoyance or delay across the mountain, by Monterey Springs, to Waynesborough. Reaching Hagerstown next day, the division rested there without serious disturbance until the evening of the 11th, when it was moved through and about a mile and a quarter west of Hagerstown, on the National road. Here, during the 13th, 14 the, and 15th, battle was again (and eagerly by my division) offered to the enemy. During these three days, my division occupied the extreme left of the line of battle. Nothing of importance occurred here, excepting a brisk attack of the enemy's skirmishers (after being re-enforced) and his cavalry upon Ramseur's sharpshooters. This attack was made late on the afternoon of July 14, after the withdrawal of nearly all the artillery and of all the main line of infantry. The enemy had unquestionably discovered this movement. His advance was so firmly and gallantly met by Ramseur's men and the Second [Richmond] Howitzers (Captain [David] Watson), that he fell back, with the loss of many killed and wounded and about 20 of the cavalry captured. On the memorable night of July 14, the Second corps fell back to Williamsport, and forded the river. The artillery, under Lieutenant Colonel Carter, I had sent off early in the afternoon, with orders to cross at Falling Waters, 4 miles below Williamsport, on the pontoon bridge which had been placed there. Mu division waded the river just above the aqueduct over the mouth of the Conococheague; the operation was a perilous one. It was very dark, raining, and excessively muddy. The men had to wade through the aqueduct, down the steep bank of soft and slippery mud, in which numbers lost their shoes and down which many fell. The water was cold, deep, and rising; the lights on either side of the river were dim, just affording enough light to mark the places of entrance and exit; the cartridge boxes of the men had to be placed around their necks; some small men had to be carried over by their comrades; the water was up to the armpits of a full-six=zed man. All the circumstances attending