In the morning the army pushed rapidly forward, leaving our brigade to collect the debris, care for the prisoners and wounded and bury the dead.
At 10 o’clock A. M., on the 24th, we moved on after the army, through Woodstock, Edinburg and Mt. Jackson, going into camp two miles beyond, making a twenty-seven mile march; pretty good considering that the regiment marched on the flank of the train all day, and until 10 o’clock P. M., through brush, over fences, up and down hills, and sometimes fording streams, causing every one to feel glad when the order came to go into camp wherever a good place could be found.
The next morning we went on through New Market, where we wandered around some over the ground, of our fight here of May 15th. The trees and fences plainly giving evidence of the terrible musketry fire on that day. Resuming our march we went on through Harrisonburg, where we found the army encamped.
While here we made out “Muster and Pay-Rolls,” and straightened up our papers generally. The regiment had two hundred and fifty eight men, and four officers for duty, Capt. Chamberlin in command, with Lieutenants Husted, Bevington and Keyes under him.
On October 4th Lieut. Meiggs, of Gen. Sheridan’s staff, was bushwhacked while making observations of the roads in our vicinity, in retaliation for which, Sheridan ordered that every house and barn within five miles of the murder should be burned to the ground. This order was afterwards revoked, so far as the little town of Dayton was concerned, which came within the prescribed limits.
On the 6th of October we again broke camp, and started back down the valley. Our brigade was in the rear of the infantry, and directly behind us came the cavalry, who had orders to destroy all barns, stacks of grain, and everything that could support a Rebel Army. The smoke that filled the valley as far as we could see to the rear, was conclusive proof that the order was being executed to the letter.
We reached Cedar Creek on the 11th and went into camp on the east side, taking our position on the left of the 19th corps, and here we held our first election, in accordance with the law, allowing soldiers in the field to vote. Col. Kellogg and Capt. Kellogg came up just in time to exercise their elective franchise. Capt Chamberlin, who had ably commanded the regiment since the 15th of September, was now relieved, and Lieut. Col. Kellogg, assumed command. We were all glad to see his genial phiz once more for all knew him, the kind, true friend, the brave and accomplished officer.
We now had six officers in the line for duty, more than at any other time since the Hunter Raid.
On the 13th our entire regiment went on picket, a portion of the line being across the creek, when, to the surprise of every one, the enemy opened fire from a masked battery, and shelled our camp for about two hours, when the 1st and 3d brigades of our division were sent out to look into the matter. They soon found the Rebels in strong force, when orders were sent for the brigades to return, but the Adjutant General, after having delivered the order to the 3d brigade, had his horse shot under him, and failing to give the order to our brigade, they kept on advancing, until they were heavily engaged, and very soon were forced back, being overpowered by a greatly superior force. Our brigade lost heavily, Col. Wells, commanding, and his Adjutant General were killed and left on the field. Our picket-line was now changed to a skirmish-line, being reinforced by two companies from the 116th O. V. I. We held our position firmly, and about midnight advanced a half mile, and found that the Rebels had fallen back. We laid here several days, doing picket and forage duty, receiving some reinforcements by men returning from hospitals.
One day one hundred men were called for to go with a forage train. Every precaution was used, but the Forage Master thought there was no danger, and staying out of reach of our protecting Springfields, was gobbled up with one of his wagons by some bushwhackers, and started towards “Dixie’s Land.”