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stopped a short distance east of the Bridge and the companies formed into Batallion. No Adjutant being present I appointed to that position Col Maulsby  [ 12 ] who had volunteered as a private in Capt Ritchies company, and the Batallion moved to the entrance of the Bridge on the Maryland Shore and was halted. The Bridge was found to be unoccu- pied by the Va troops, and having become v[er]y dark, it was impossible to obtain any information in regard to its condition and whether it had or not been retaken by the Insur- gents. I felt the responsibility of marching the Batallion through the Bridge when it might have been subject to a severe attack, but no resourse remaining after it had halted about one minute, it resumed its march, and with fixed bayonets, and the Field Officers in front pressed through to the Va Shore without encounter- ing friend or foe. I caused the presence of my command and a tender of its services to be communicated to Col Baylor whom I found in command of the Va. volunteers and of the place, and in compliance with his request immediately placed detachments of each company on guard at each point around the Armory works into which the Insur- gents had been driven by the Va military and armed Citizens before