Aug. 5th the battery, with a portion of our Division, started on a reconnoisance towards the Rapidan River. Towards noon on the second day out, a portion of our troops had a slight skirmish with the enemy, but it was of short duration.
Early on the morning of the third day of the reconnoisance our column countermarched, and marched rapidly towards Fredericksburg. Our cavalry were constantly skirmishing with the enemy. When within fifteen miles of the town a regiment of infantry and our battery went into position, but after firing a few shots the enemy fell back, and we rejoined the column. Continuing our march we reached our old camp on the Rappahannock Aug. 8, where we remained until Aug. 22d.
Rappahannock Station—Groveton—Bull Run (or Manassas).
August 22d King's Division to which Battery D belonged, left camp opposite Fredericksburg, it having been ordered to report with all possible haste at Rappahannock Station. The battery pulled out of park at daylight, and after a hard day's march, made camp within eight miles of the station, some time after dark. Very early next morning as we were aroused, the battery hitched up, and everything made ready to proceed, we heard heavy and continuous firing, which indicated to us that some one was having a hot time of it.
At 9 A.M. we were ordered to continue on to the station, which we reached about noon, remaining until dark. All the afternoon troops were continually recrossing the river and moving to the rear, and just before we left, the buildings around the station were fired. The light from this fire illuminated our way for some distance. At the station, and for a mile or so beyond it, as we passed along the road, men were engaged in tearing up the railroad, heating the rails and twisting them beyond any possibility of their being used again.
Everything indicated that we had commenced a retrograde movement, and the constant picket firing, which would occasionally increase in volume, as though a regiment or brigade had become engaged, with the added noise of cannon, told us plainly that the enemy were pressing our rear vigorously.