Year: 1863

strange movements now, movements entirely be-
yond the comprehension of your intelligent cor
respondent. At this present moment we are
some four miles from Manassas Junction, south
west. We have made some very long marches
during the week past, the great strategic result
of which has not yet been developed. Our
course has been something in the shape of the
figure with the top at the Rappahannock, the
bottom on the line Of Fairfax Court House, and
the right hand portion curving around by Centre
vile to this place. Whether this movement is
simply reconnaissance in force or grand ad-
vance does not yet appear, but at present only
our division is here, and certainly, unless we are
reinforced We cannot offend against the enemy to
any great extent


We have had plentiful showers of rain since
Thursday, which has made the air refreshingly
cool The ground had become very dry and
parched. Vegetation suffered extremely, espe-
cially grass. Thursday night the rumbng OF dis
tant thunder announced the probability that the
long and anxiolsly hoped for rain would soon
gladden. the thirsty earth. 1t came. Just at
night the large rain drops, with mixture of hail
fell freely and copiously on the baked ground,
which, in this vicinity, | should think had long
been deprived of this invaluable blessing Soon the
unyiedng soil was softened. The immense res
ervoirs Of dust were closed up and the verdure
OF the hills around assumed a clearer and bright
er look, as if itself instinct With life and overflow
ing with thankfulness for the precious gift. Fri
day, too, was somewhat lowry, and an occasional
dash of rain showed how hard it could rain now
it had once begun. Another heavy shower Fri
day night, which left the roads for our yester-
days march entirely free from the annoyance of
DUST and made the air cool and bracinr. We had
marching orders Friday afternoon at four o'clock
but they were countermanded. Saturday morn
ing they came in an hour we thought not of, AID
liked to have caught some of the boys away from
camp,who had gone out on an expedition in search
of suffers, caring more for their appetite's de-
mands than they did for their country's service.
When we started the head of the column took
the Centreville road and turned toward that
place.


In my letter last Wednesday l left the regi-
ment near Fairfax Station, and, that | may not
leave gap in this most sublime portion of histo.
ry, must not omit TO mention that our march
Of about five miles Thursday morning brought u:
from that place to another about one mie tn
! side of Fairfax Court House. There was the
strongest medley of guessing Thursday as tc
where we were going, what Tor, and in what di.
rection, that any one but soldier ever hears
Some said we were going to Chain Bridge, some
said to Leesburg, some kreV we were going te
Alexandria, while others doubted if even the
War Department knew where they wanted tc
take US to. But all the while we kept on in the
uneven tenor of our way over the rough roads
which had a very unciv,lized appearance, and ii
due time emerged from our b4rbarous course ir
full sight of the familiar Court House at Fairfax
Va. The head Of the column steered straight tol
the village, then turned square to the right on
the Cenreyie road. Our Brigade the shrewd
cusses, as Struggling New Yorker called u.s.
struck across lots, at hypothenuse angle with
the others, thus saving about me Of travel and
along up hill road. We halted in the edge OF
woods, stacked arms, and then sought the best
shelter we could find among tae bushes and
trees from the fierce heat Of the sun.


llere we had ample leisure to reflect upon the
peculiar predcament of "the situation" Lee
was in Maryland. Our army was singularly scat