brigade remained on the 15th and marched on the 16th through Middletown and Cedarville and camped at Nineveh. At 6 p.m. the First and Second Brigades, being sharply engaged in front of Front Royal, saddled up and marched back to near Cedarville, when the brigade was ordered back and returned to its previous camp at Nineveh. On the 17th marched through Berryville and camped two miles out of town on the Snickersville road. The next morning marched through Berryville and camped one mile out of town on the Winchester pike. The regiments and battery remained in camp there until the 21st, when the brigade marched down the Charlestown pike. On arriving at the cross-roads, or the fork of the Summit Point road and the Charlestown pike, the First U. S. Cavalry and First New York Dragoons, with a squadron of the Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry as flankers on the left, were deployed as rear guard, and skirmished with the enemy on the left of the pike as far as Rippon. The brigade went into position half a mile in rear of Charlestown. On the 22nd marched toward Sherpherdstown without meeting the enemy; camped on a ridge back of the town that night (the 23rd) and moved camp to near Antietam Ford on the 24th. On the morning of the 25th marched toward Kearneysville and met the enemy in force about half a mile beyond the railroad, the Reserve Brigade being held in reserve. Found a strong force of infantry, artillery, and cavalry in front. Began to retire about 1 p.m., throwing out the First New York Dragoons and First U. S. Cavalry on the left of the road retiring. Kept up continued skirmishing as far as Shepherdstown, when the First U. S. Cavalry was ordered to join the column on the Halltown road. A force of the enemy's infantry interposing between the rear guard and the main guard, the First New York Dragoons took the road to Antietam Ford, crossed the river, and camped for the night, coming into camp two miles and three-quarters from Harper's Ferry the next afternoon. After passing through Shepherdstown, on the Halltown road, when about four miles from the town, the enemy appearing close in rear with infantry, the First and Second U. S. Cavalry were deployed as skirmishers on both sides of the road, and held the enemy in check until relieved, when they marched to camp as above, reaching it soon after dark. Remained in camp next day till noon, when the brigade made a reconnaissance toward Shepherdstown, drove a company of Gilmor's force out of town, the First U. S. Cavalry making a brilliant charge through the town and occupying it for an hour, until reconnaissance could he made on the Winchester and Kearneysville pikes. The brigade remained in camp on the 26th and 27th. On the 28th the brigade marched toward Leetown and Smithfield, charged through Leetown with the Second U. S. Cavalry, supported by the Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry. Leaving Leetown by the Smithfield pike, the First U. S. Cavalry, commanded by Captain Sweitzer, supported by the Second U. S. Cavalry, commanded by Lieutenant Harrison, met a brigade of Maryland cavalry, and brilliantly charged them with the saber, completely routing them, and driving them in confusion down the road. In this dashing affair a most excellent officer, Lieutenant Joseph S. Hoyer, of the First U. S. Cavalry, was mortally wounded, and died soon after. The brigade was then deployed with strong supports, and pursued the enemy down the road. Upon reaching a wood near Smithfield, the enemy opened with artillery on the right of the road and Williston's battery was sent to an eminence on the left of the pike, soon silencing the enemy's, which limbered up and retired with all its force across the river Opequon. Smithfield was occupied