Company F.—Captain, A. J. Gwynn; Lieutenants, Polk, John Hyland, and Forrest.
Maj. W. W. GOLDSBOROUGH.
Company G.—Captain, Thomas R. Stewart; Lieutenants, James Davis, W. H. Wrightson, G. G. Guillette.
After the Moorefield trip the Second Maryland spent the remainder of the winter in camp at various points in the Valley of Virginia, first at New Market, then near Edinburg, Lacy’s Springs, Harrisonburg, and at Woodstock.
Nothing of importance occurred during that time to disturb the monotony of camp life, except an occasional alarm, or expedition after pig iron to the furnaces in the vicinity of Edinburg. These expeditions were facetiously called “Jones’ pig iron raids” by the men, and which they, as well as the officers, heartily detested, for it seemed as though General Jones invariably selected a blinding snow storm in which to make them.
It was in March, whilst encamped near Woodstock, that one day a cavalry picket dashed into camp and informed Colonel Herbert that a large body of the enemy’s cavalry were advancing rapidly, down the valley turnpike, and were within three or four miles of us. The long roll was instantly sounded, and although the men were all engaged at one thing or another around the camp, and the summons was totally unexpected, yet within less than three minutes the column was formed and on the move. Such was the state of efficiency our able commander had brought his battalion to.
We marched rapidly up the turnpike until we had passed Woodstock, three miles from our encampment, and were within two miles of the enemy before we were overtaken by the cavalry, under command of Jones in person. He ordered us to halt and form line of battle, whilst he pressed forward to ascertain the number and character of the Federal forces. In a short time we were startled by a volley of small arms and the wild yell which we knew too well came from our men in the charge. It was not long before prisoners began to come to the rear in large numbers, and we were assured that it had been successful. The General had encountered the Twelfth and Thirteenth Pennsylvania cavalry, and at one charge, with an inferior force, scattered them to the four winds, capturing, killing, and wounding over three hundred of them.
Although the troops were without shelter the whole winter, except such as they could erect out of brush and leaves, there was scarcely any sickness, and a hardier set of men I never saw. It was demonstrated to our entire satisfaction that tents were not fit for troops in winter, as the winter before we had tried them for a while in the First Maryland, and much more sickness prevailed.
It was some time in April, 1863, that General Jones determined to make a raid upon the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in the neighborhood of New Creek and Cheat River. The Second Maryland was to accompany the expedition as far as Moorefield, between sixty and seventy miles distant, to bring back the wagon train, which could accompany them no further, and to gather up stores of every kind to be found in that rich and fertile valley.