Duffy, with orders to act as provost-marshal and picket strongly on the Flint Hill and Vienna road, Falls Church road, and Fairfax Station road, and guard a number of prisoners there. Early in the morning I doubled my pickets, and extended them to the right of Germantown and about a mile up the Little River pike.

About 3 p. m. I was in Fairfax Court-House, when a dispatch was sent me that the enemy had captured Captain Hight, Second U. S. Cavalry, on the Little River pike, about 3 miles from Germantown, and were advancing on my pickets. I immediately started to my camp, and near the town I met a few of the company above referred to and Lieutenant Harrison, of the cavalry, whom I took with me. I took half of the Fourth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers, under Colonel Hatch, to re-enforce the pickets, and arrived very opportunely at the picket line, as the enemy's cavalry were advancing on the Little River pike, who, seeing my force, halted, then retired.

About dark I received orders from General Pope to send two regiments and two pieces of artillery as a guard to the trains en route to Alexandria as far as Cloud's Mill. I sent the First and Third Regiments New Jersey Volunteers, leaving me two regiments and four pieces of artillery.

About 8 p. m. the enemy brought three pieces of artillery into position at the edge of a woods between the two turnpikes, about 300 yards from the pickets and the same distance from the Centreville pike, where the trains were moving. They fired six shots into the train and my camp, killing 2 or 3 horses and stampeding the train. Drivers deserted their wagons and the greatest confusion existed. My guards, stationed on the road to arrest stragglers, by great exertions stopped the train and restored order; forced men to take charge of the wagons and drive them to Alexandria and toward Centreville. I immediately advanced a portion of my picket-line opposite the artillery, which retired; prepared my own artillery for action; sent the Second Regiment New Jersey Volunteers up on the Centreville pike opposite the point where the train was shelled; then sent a staff officer to report to General Pope the state of affairs. He ordered a brigade, five regiments (Dana's), under command of Colonel Hinks, and two batteries from the rear to report to me that night. None of them arrived until next morning, September 1, about 8 a. m., when I put two regiments on picket, the others in position, with the right resting on Germantown, the latter place being about half a mile from my headquarters.

About 9 a. m. the enemy's cavalry pickets wounded one of mine. A few shots being exchanged, they retired.

Late in the afternoon I received orders from General Pope to move my brigade to Germantown and that General Hooker had command of all troops at that point and Fairfax Court-House. I then reported to General Hooker at the above-mentioned place, where I remained in line of battle all night, the most of the time in a drenching rain.

As I was going to Germantown I received a dispatch from General Pope to send back on the road to Washington and hurry up all troops on the way to the front and order up those in camp on the road. I showed the dispatch to Generals Couch and Patrick; then started a staff officer to carry out the above order, which he did, leaving the dispatch at General McClellan's headquarters.

My other two regiments and the six companies under Major Duffy, from Fairfax Court-House, joined me next morning, September 2, and that afternoon and night my brigade was marched to Fairfax Seminary, Va., near Alexandria.