Early in the morning on the 18th, we were on the road; passed through Snicker's Gap and went into camp near the Shenandoah River, but later crossed the river and marched about four miles and went into position, where we remained until about nine o'clock in the evening, when we received orders to recross the river and report at Washington with the Nineteenth and Sixth Corps.
This movement was by order of Gen. Grant, he supposing that Early had started for Richmond, and wanting the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps forwarded via Washington to join the Army of the Potomac, then in front of Petersburg.
We marched nearly all night, stopping at Leesburg to feed, and then continued on to Goose Creek, where we went into camp, having marched about twenty-four miles. Our march was continued for three days, starting early in the morning and making camp at dark.
The 23d we started at daylight and arrived at Chain Bridge in the afternoon and went into camp, remaining there two days, which gave the men and horses a rest. The weather had been very warm, and the dust on the march was almost suffocating.
On the 26th we had orders to start back to Harper's Ferry, and we broke camp early in the morning and hurried along, arriving at our destination on the evening of the 29th and went into camp, the men and horses being pretty well tired out. We omitted the evening roll-call so as to allow the men to go to sleep early; but we were just a little vexed to get orders in the evening to be ready to move at three o'clock in the morning—where? Right back over the road we had just come!
"Boots and saddles" were blown at half-past two the next morning, and we moved out of camp promptly at three o'clock. It was reported that some one in the battery, on being woke up and told that we were to retrace our steps over the same ground that we had covered twice since the 16th, made a very profane remark, but on investigation the culprit could not be found.
We marched that day until late in the evening, when we encamped in a lot alongside of the pike. Starting early next morning we passed through Frederick City and went into camp on the Gettysburg pike, where we remained one day, and then started back, making twenty-four miles, and again went into camp. We remained there until Aug. 6th, when we stared at daylight and reached Knoxville, having marched twenty-three miles.
On the 7th we crossed the Potomac at Harper's Ferry, and encamped at Halltown.
There were various reasons for the marches and countermarches we had been making for the past fifteen days. Early had not started up the valley as was supposed, but was holding on to some of the fords, and his whole force was in the lower part of the Shenandoah Valley. There were a number of generals commanding certain sections of the country in the vicinity of Washington, and each thought that Early was sure to attack him, and if a small cavalry force showed up in his vicinity, he immediately wired to Washington that Early's whole force was after him, and then everything had to "hustle;" but at last Gen. Grant insisted that one man should take command of the whole, and Gen. Philip H. Sheridan was sent from his command of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac to take command of all troops on the Upper Potomac. Gen. Grant, on the 6th of August, ran down to Monocacy Bridge, in Maryland, and met Gen. Sheridan at that point, and gave him his final instructions.
Gen. Hunter had just arrived from his long trip down the Kanawha Valley, and his troops were at or near Harper's Ferry, having been delayed by low water in the Ohio River, and also by various breaks on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, from reporting as soon as expected.