It was a lovely morning that we left our camp, and although the roads were bad we made good progress the first two days. On the third day, however, the rain commenced to pour down in torrents. It was a cold, sleety rain, and about as disagreeable a one as it had ever been my misfortune to encounter. On we pressed, though, fording rapid streams waist deep and climbing immense ranges of mountains. By three or four o’clock of the third day we had reached the summit of the last range, at the foot of which lay the beautiful town of Moorefield. Suddenly the wind sprung up, the clouds and mist disappeared, and away off in the distance lay this magnificent valley, one of the most enchanting spots in West Virginia. I was perfectly charmed, and for a long while gazed upon the scene before me in silent admiration.
That night we went into camp within two miles of the town, and next morning moved a portion of the command into the place, whilst the remainder encamped upon its suburbs.
General Jones finding it impossible to cross the river at Moorefield, moved up to Petersburg with his cavalry, where a crossing was effected.
We were now left to ourselves, with instructions to rest the men and horses, and then return to the Valley of Virginia in the vicinity of Harrisonburg. We had but little to fear from the enemy, who were at Winchester, some seventy miles off. We therefore took our own time about leaving, for we found Moorefield a most delightful place, and the people kind and hospitable. However, after a stay of three days, we retraced our steps by the way of Franklin to Harrisonburg, taking with us about one hundred and fifty prisoners that General Jones had captured after a sharp fight at Greenland Church, and also some of our wounded, among whom was the gallant Colonel Richard Dulaney, of the Seventh Virginia Cavalry.
We reached Harrisonburg without an incident worthy of note, and went into camp to await the return of the expedition, which we did not expect for at least a month.
CHAPTER III.
As we felt satisfied our stay at Harrisonburg would be a prolonged one, and the weather being fine, Col. Herbert set to work to make the Battalion as efficient in drill and discipline as possible. He had taken advantage of the winter, when the men could not drill, to teach his officers their duties, and as most of them were totally inexperienced they required a great deal of instruction. By spring they were familiar with Hardee, and that, with the little training they had had in the fall, made them perfectly competent to handle their respective companies in company and battalion drill.
“To equal the First Maryland in drill and discipline,” I have heard Col. Herbert say, “is my greatest ambition.” And he was gratified, and more than gratified, for I think without any exception the Second Maryland was the most perfect command that was or had ever been in the Confederate army. One great reason for it was that they had been properly mustered in, and no misunderstanding therefore existed as to the length of time they were to serve, as had been the case in the First Maryland.
Still another reason was that the officers, with scarcely a single exception, were a remarkably intelligent set of men, and took the greatest pride in the battalion. With all the love and fond remembrance I still cherish for the old First, I am compelled to admit, in all candor, that the Second was a superior command, and for the reasons I have stated.
On the 22d of May General Jones returned from his trip to West Virginia, which, taking everything into consideration, proved a failure. It is true he had destroyed a part of the railroad, but the damages had been as quickly repaired. He had captured horses, cattle and sheep in large numbers, and also some prisoners; but then he had sacrificed some valuable lives, and so completely broken down his men and horses as to require a long season of rest before again ready for the field.