13th of June. Fording both branches of the Shenandoah, we marched to a point on the Staunton pike, about five and one half miles from Winchester, when, as ordered by Major-General Early, I moved to the left of this road and formed line of battle three miles southwest of the town. About four o'clock in the afternoon I deployed a line of skirmishers and moved forward to the attack, holding two regiments (the Thirteenth and Thirty-first Georgia) in reserve. After advancing several hundred yards, I found it necessary to bring into line these two regiments—the Thirty-first on the right and the Thirteenth on the left. The enemy's skirmishers retreated on his battle line, a portion of which occupied a strong position behind a stone wall, but from which he was immediately driven. A battery, which I had hoped to capture, was rapidly withdrawn.
In this charge, which was executed with spirit and unchecked at any point, my brigade lost seventy-five men, including some efficient officers.
On the 14th, detachments from this brigade were engaged in skirmishing with the enemy in front of the town and fort. In accordance with orders from Major-General Early, received in the night of the 14th, I began to move my brigade upon the fort at daylight the following morning. I soon discovered that the fort was evacuated, and sending a detachment to occupy it and take posession of the garrison flag, I sent an officer to communicate with the Major-General and moved as rapidly as possible in the direction of the firing distinctly heard on the Martinsburg pike.
My brigade reached the point where a portion of Johnson's division engaged the retreating enemy only in time to assist in collecting horses and prisoners.
Crossing the Potomac at Shepherdstown on the 22d of June, we marched through Boonsboro', Maryland, to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Before reaching this place my brigade was detached by Major-General Early from the division and ordered on a different road, with a battalion of cavalry under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel White.
In front of Gettysburg a regiment of Pennsylvania militia was charged and routed by this cavalry battalion. I was here ordered to move on the direct pike to the city of York. Before entering this place, the Mayor and a deputation of citizens were sent out by the city authorities to make a formal surrender. In accordance with prior instructions from Major-General Early, I moved directly through, having sent in front of the brigade a provost-guard to occupy the city and take down the Federal flag, left flying over the principal street. We moved by the direct pike to Wrightsville on the Susquehanna. At this point I found a body of Pennsylvania militia, nearly equal in number to my brigade, reported by the commanding officer, whom we captured, at twelve hundred men, strongly entrenched, but without artillery. A line of skirmishers was sent to make a demonstration in front of these works, while I moved to the right by a circuitous route with three regiments, in
