CAMP NEAR NEW MARKET, Tuesday, November isth, 1864.
I Live spent the last ten days mostly in camp, riding occasionally to division Headquarters and to New Market to see Allen. Spent la^t Sunday week at division Headquarters, having gone there to prevent brigade ordnance wagons from being used for forage purposes, and dined with Whiting and Lewis Randolph. Dined with them again last Wednesday. Thursday the troops moved down the Valley, and on Saturday I started down also (our ordnance trains remaining here), with some slight anticipations of getting to W. again. On reaching Fisher's Hill, met the trains returning, troops following and camping that night in old camps at Fisher's Hill. General Early went between Middletown and Newtown and found all the enemy's force still between that point and Winchester. Our cavalry on back road had a fight, in which Rosser's brigade was driven back, but Payne, coming over, drove back the Yankees in utter confusion. Lieutenant-Colonel Tom Marshall, of the yth [Va.], was killed, another heavy blow to the Barton family. McCausland's brigade, on Front Royal road, was driven back to the Shenandoah, losing some wagons and two pieces of artillery. When will we cease sup- plying the Yankees with artillery ? Sunday the army continued its march back, reaching their old camp near here on Monday. Hope we will now go back and go into winter-quarters.
CAMP NEAR STAUNTON (2 miles), Wednesday, November 3Oth, 1864.
Spent latter part of week before last in camp, the weather being miserable rain all the time. Wednesday, the nth, the day for Public Worship, was, however, a good day, and I went to church in New Market, hearing a most excellent sermon from Rev. Dr. Lacy. I wish it could be published in tract form and distributed throughout the army. " Old Jubal " was at church to-day. On Friday, i8th, sent Lee and Wilkins with wagon to Culpeper after arms. Wilkins and wagon returned day before yesterday with only 20 arms, a com- plete failure ; Lee went on to Loudoun. Saturday, iQth, had meet- ing of our Board, and again on Monday, 2ist, on which day Estill and I were appointed Committee to draw up the instructions, and all the papers were committed to me convenient way to put off all the work on two.
