Thursday, May 12th.
Reached the vicinity of Tabernacle Church at about five o’clock A. M., where a ration of fresh beef was issued, and the men who had dropped out during the night came straggling in. Saw a force of cavalry a little way off, with uniforms literally covered with yellow braid, and learned that it had just come from Rhode Island to join General Burnside’s Ninth Corps, and is known as Burnside’s Butterfly Cavalry. Left the church at 11 A. M. and going to the front reported to General Warren. On the way passed the 3rd Penn. Artillery, which we left at Fort Marcy in March. The Second Corps took several thousand prisoners and nineteen guns to-day. The rebel General Johnson and another general officer, who were captured in Barlow’s charge, passed through our line in an ambulance and looked madder than wet hens. And well they might, for it rained all day, thus adding to the bedraggled appearance of the captives. Many of the captured guns were parked near us, and for a time we were formed in line near them to repel any effort to recapture them. We have little idea where we are or what is going on about us. It was reported that the cavalry sent out to cut the rebel communication with Gordonsville, had destroyed eight miles of railroad and two trains of cars, and had taken about five hundred prisoners. All told we marched about twelve miles to-day.
