1862 September 7 near Georgetown

[from the diary of Samuel Johnson of the 1st Massachusetts Independent Light Battery]


   Sept 7th

This week has also been very busily employed,
On the 1st we lay in camp all day, every thing
is being sent to the rear.  the army is to fall
back to its old line of defense on the
Potomac,  During the afternoon our lines
at Chantilly were attacked, and a brisk
engagement followed: the rebs were finaly
repulsed but with a severe loss to our
side..  Gen’s Kearney and Stephens were
killed.  Our corps is as usual left as
the rear guard.  At five P. M. we harnessed
up, at six a severe thunder shower set in
and it continued stormy all night.  At.

one half past eight every thing being well on the
road, the head of our corps started on its way
toward Alexandria.  Tuesday morning we halted
at Fairfax, here we remained until eleven A.
M, when we again started on.  halted again
at two P. M.,  we soon after started on again
reaching Alexandria at seven P. M.  Next day
we returned to our old encampment on the
Leesburg turnpike.  The army is to be reconstr-
-ucted.  Gen Mc Clellan is reinstated in
command of the army.  The 4th and 5th were
very quiet,  At five P. M of the sixth, we very
suddenly received marching orders, and by six
P. M. we were on our way for Md.  The
Johnnies have crossed the Potomac at Willia-
-msport and have marched as far north as
the Pennsylvania state line.  Passed through
Washington and Georgetown and at 11. P. M.
we encamped for the night.  Lay still all
the next day, a steady column of troops
and trains has been passing by our camps.
Several of the new regts have joined this
army.  Pleasant and mild


[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 8493