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and the men lay down in the snow, which covered the ground to the depth of ten
inches, to get a little rest. In the meantime General Loniax. who had been notified
in the beginning of the enemy's advance, was assembling at Liberty Mills his
different brigades, which had necessarily been scattered in order to subsist.

By daylight General Jackson was moving to that point, where, after partaking
of some food, the troops were directed to throw up rude breastworks, which was
done by piling fence-rails along the banks of the stream. This had scarcely been
accomplished when the enemy made his appearance and deployed most beautifully
on the opposite hills, when a brisk skirmish began, which continued all day and
until night, when the exhausted troops were ordered to unsaddle and seek some
rest, but they had barely dismounted when a courier dashed up and reported that
the enemy had crossed the stream, and that they were to be charged at once.

In an instant the gallant troopers sprang to their horses, and Jackson's
Brigade dashed at the enemy's advance. For some time the ground was stubbornly
contested, when Jackson's column to the right and left of the First Maryland
broke, which compelled the whole to fall back. They were quickly rallied, however,
when a desperate charge was made, and the enemy in turn compelled to retire.
Lomax then withdrew his division to Gordonsville, where it rested that night,
and at daylight it was again drawn up in line of battle to meet the enemy, who had
made his appearance. A sharp but brief conflict ensued, in which the enemy was
repulsed, when he withdrew, and finally retired by the road he came to Winchester.

After this last encounter with the enemy, Jackson's Brigade retired to within
twelve or fifteen miles of Orange Court House, where it remained until about the
ist of March, 1865, when Sheridan moved down the Valley in heavy force, and
captured the little that remained of Early's command near Waynesboro'. The First
Maryland was ordered to hang upon his flank, which it did with great tenacity, first
striking him on James River, beyond Charlottesville, and following him lo the
White House, on York River. So small a force could accomplish nothing by a direct
attack, and it therefore confined its operations to cutting off scouting and
marauding parties, which amounted in the aggregate to more than their own
number three times over.

The battalion rested for some days near Richmond after it had returned from
following Sheridan, when it was ordered to join Lomax in West Virginia. It
accordingly marched to join that officer, and when about two days advanced on
the journey was ordered back with all speed to report to General Fitzhugh Lee at
Stony Creek, twenty miles from Petersburg.

Reaching Richmond on the evening of April 2, 1865, it went into camp on its
suburbs. Early next morning (Sunday) the battalion moved through the city, and
had the pleasure of greeting many of their comrades, prisoners on parole, awaiting
exchange. The day had nothing of Sabbath quiet; churches were unattended,