Page:History of the Ninth Virginia Cavalry in the War Between the States.djvu/85

The command was now put in motion, and we marched a mile or two before halting to feed, and while we were doing so Hampton's brigade passed us. By the time we had remounted an order was received to advance at a trot. On arriving at Rockville, the county-seat of Montgomery county, fifteen miles west of Washington, General Stuart directed us to form in line in a field a short distance from the village. While we were forming a second order came directing us to move out on the turnpike leading through Rockville to Georgetown. We marched at a trot. It was Sunday morning. The villagers seemed to be ready for church, as the doorways were thronged with ladies in their scarfs and bonnets. Many waved with their handkerchiefs a graceful greeting, and manifested evident pleasure at seeing us. On clearing the village, by order of General Stuart, one of our companies was thrown out on the right to guard our flank, and the remaining five were sent in pursuit of the enemy, who were retreating down the 'pike towards Washington. General Stuart informed us they were a wagon-train, attended by a strong guard, and that another regiment would be sent forward to our support. The chase now commenced. William Campbell and Isaac Curtis, with two men of Hampton's command, who resolved to share our dangers, led as a vanguard, each of them riding a fleet horse. As we passed a house near the 'pike a lady ran out clapping her hands in eager excitement, and exclaiming: "Push on; you have nearly caught them!" After riding a mile or so, we saw the guard of the train, a small party of cavalry, drawn up in line directly across the road, as if to bar our passage. The troopers having the fastest horses were now ordered forward to reinforce the men in advance; but before they got within two hundred yards of them, the enemy wheeled and fled, "without standing on the order of their going." A mile beyond a long train of canvas-covered wagons loomed up, moving at a furious pace. As we got near to them the drivers, especially the colored ones, forsook their teams, leaping to the ground