258 SEVENTH REGIMENT INFANTRY.

few rounds from the battery and some more skirmishing along the picket line, night fell,
the enemy's cavalry withdrew, and the battery, with the rest of Davies' brigade, retired
to the rear.

By some oversight on the part of the officer in command of the picket line of the
division which was to have connected on our left, an interval was left between the Gap
road and a stream some little distance southwest. Through this opening a dash was
made by the enemy's cavalry after dark, and a number of our pickets cut off and cap-
tured. The renewed firing on the picket line caused General Kenly to order up the 1st
Maryland (Colonel Wilson) to the support of the Seventh, and a round or two from the
1st Maryland ended the affair. The fight commenced just before sunset and ended about
8 P. M. There were only the three left companies of the Seventh engaged, all from
Frederick County (B, G and E). Loss—one killed, five wounded, sixteen prisoners, includ-
ing Lieutenant Hagan, of Company G. Colonel Webster received a ball through his
clothing and narrowly escaped capture, being at the time of the last dash in the act of
inspecting his pickets, when the enemy's cavalry charged past and within a few yards of
him.

Bristoe Station.

Several days were then passed at Thoroughfare Gap, and on the 24th of October,
1863, the 1st corps made a heavy mud march, the men wading Broad Run and other
swollen streams to Bristoe Station, where it entered upon the duty of guarding the rail-
road and picketing its approaches.

On November 6th the resignation of Colonel Webster, consequent upon his re-election
to Congress and the demands of his political friends for his active aid in the pending strug-
gle for emancipation in Maryland, was accepted, and on the following day he took leave
of the regiment. A meeting of the officers was held and resolutions were adopted
expressing the appreciation of the regiment of the many admirable qualities of their late
commander, and their regret at the separation. Lieut.-Colonel Phelps was thereupon com-
missioned Colonel, and Capt. E. M. Mobley, Major, vice Major Dallam, permanently dis-
abled by illness, the result of exposure.

Guarding Prisoners to Alexandria.

A brilliant charge of General Russell, at Rappahannock Station on the 7th, had re-
sulted in the capture of four guns and 1600 prisoners, and on the same day a dash ordered by
General French at Kelly's Ford secured over 400 more. Before the trains containing these
prisoners reached Bristoe on their way to the rear, under a small provost-guard, on the
afternoon of the 9th, despatches had been received by Col. Dushane, commanding the
Maryland brigade, indicating an attempt by a strong force of the enemy to intercept the
trains and effect, if possible, a rescue. The colonel of the Seventh was ordered to be
in readiness with his regiment, reinforced by a company of the 1st Maryland, to board
the train upon their arrival at Bristoe, and guard them to Alexandria. There were two
trains of eighteen freight cars each. The first train did not arrive until long after dark,
and, owing to mistake or panic, dashed by without slackening speed. A few minutes
later the second train arrived, but made such a short stop that numbers of the officers and
men were not able to reach their places on the roofs of the cars. Dr. Jarrett, surgeon
of the 7th, made for the only open door he saw, probably supposing, in his innocence,