Before reaching the battle line, the enemy had already placed pontoons near the old place of landing, crossed over a portion of their army, and was now picketing on the south side of the river.  One company from each regiment was thrown out as sharpshooters or skirmishers, under Captain Goggans, of the Seventh, and deployed in the valley below, where we could watch the enemy.  My company was of the number.  Nothing was done during the day but a continual change of positions.  We remained on the skirmish line during the night without fire or without any relief, expecting an advance next morning, or to be relieved at least.  The sun was obscured by the densest fog the following morning I had almost ever witnessed.  When it cleared up, about 10 o’clock, what was our astonishment?—­to find no enemy in our front, nor friends in our rear.  There were, however, some Federals opposite and below the city, but they belonged to another division.  We could hear occasional cannonading some miles up the Rappahannock.  By some staff officers passing, we ascertained that Hooker had withdrawn during the night in our front, recrossed the river at Ely’s and Raccoon fords, or some of the fords opposite the Wilderness.  This was on Friday, May the first.  After a consultation with the officers of our detachment, it was agreed to evacuate our position and join our regiments wherever we could find them.  We had no rations, and this was one of the incentives to move.  But had the men been supplied with provisions, and the matter left to them alone, I doubt very much whether they would have chosen to leave the ground now occupied, as we were in comparative safety and no enemy in sight, while to join our commands would add largely to the chances of getting in battle.  I am sorry to say a majority of the officers were of that opinion, too.  Some brought to bear one of Napoleon’s maxims I had heard when a boy, “When a soldier is in doubt where to go, always go to the place you hear the heaviest firing,” and we could indistinctly hear occasional booming of cannon high up the river, indicating that a part of the army at least was in that direction.

So we moved back and over the breastworks, on to the plank road leading to Orange Court House.  Making our way, keeping together as a battalion, up that road in the direction of the Wilderness, near noon we could hear the deep bay of cannon, now distant and indistinct, then again more rapidly and quite distinguishable, showing plainly that Lee was having a running fight.  Later in the day we passed dead horses and a few dead and wounded soldiers.  On every hand were indications of the effects of shot and shell.  Trees were shattered along the road side, fences torn down and rude breastworks made here and there, the evidence of heavy skirmishing in our front.  Lee was pressing the advance guard that had crossed at one of the lower fords back on the main army, crossing then at fords opposite and above the Chancellor’s House.