And glorious June with fervid kiss
Ever bid the roses blossom there."
A worse-managed affair than this fight at Bristoe Station did not take place during the war. With the rest of our corps in the rear, at a moment's call, Cooke's and Kirkland's North Carolina brigades were made to fight this battle alone. President Davis characterized it "as a rash and ill-conducted affair." Col. Taylor says that "too few of our corps was engaged; it was unpardonable mismanagement, and there was no earthly excuse for it." Gen. Lee said to the officer who essayed to explain to him this occurrence: "Bury your poor dead, and say nothing more about it."
This terminated Gen. Lee's attempt to bring on a pitched battle with Gen. Meade.
On the following day we were busy burying our dead. Our wounded were all cared for, and sent off in ambulances and wagons. On the 16th, we were employed in destroying the railroad track, which we did most effectually, as far down as Rappahannock Station. On the 19th, we crossed the Rappahannock River, went into camp, and remained until the 6th of November.
On the 7th, our forces met with another surprise at Kelley's Ford, on the Rappahannock River, which resulted in the loss of several hundred of our men and some few pieces of artillery. The loss of this position made it necessary to abandon the design of our making an attack, and on the 9th we were withdrawn to near Culpepper Court-House; at night we fell back across Robertson River. This position not being regarded as favorable, we returned to the south side of the Rapidan on the following night. We picketed along this river, above Rapidan Station, until the 26th of November.
At this time, the army under Gen. Meade crossed the Rapidan, and we were busy getting ready for a counter-move, as he was supposed to be moving down the river. At the dawn of day, on the 27th, we were on our way to meet Meade's army. The weather was intensely cold, and our men suffered greatly.
We proceeded to advance towards Fredericksburg. In the evening we met the enemy, and had quite a skirmish, losing several men from the regiment. On Saturday, a position was selected on the line of Mine Run, and in a short while we were strongly entrenched, and anxious for the enemy to attack us. On Monday, the 30th, the enemy being in our immediate front, we certainly expected an attack. They were found to be busily entrenching, also, and Tuesday passed without any demonstration.
As Gen. Meade seemed reluctant to bring on an engagement, Gen. Lee determined to assail him; consequently, during the night, he made necessary arrangements for a grand battle. When dawn broke over the hills on the morning of the 2d of December, Meade's camps were found deserted, and his army fast making their way back to the river. We immediately made pursuit, but he had too much the start and reached the north side of the Rapidan before we could overtake him. Both armies then retired to their original positions on the Rapidan. We returned to our winter quarters which we had prepared, about 3½ miles south-east from Orange C.H. We were then, in turn, employed in picketing along the Rapidan until the 4th of February, when we were relieved by Kirkland's North Carolina brigade, and we again sought shelter in our log cabins.