Three Years in the Confederate Horse Artillery — George Michael Neese.

August 7 — We were on outpost picket until sunset, and were relieved then by the second section of our battery. We came back on reserve and camped quarter of a mile west of Brandy Station. From our picket post we saw the Yankee line of pickets to-day, which was only about a mile from our post.

We had a hard thunder-shower this evening while we were returning from picket; rain fell in torrents, which soaked us all over.

August 6 — On reserve picket until late this evening, when we went on outpost picket half mile below Brandy, on Fleetwood Hill. From our picket post we can see a Yankee encampment about four miles away and near the bank of the Rappahannock.

August 5 — On reserve picket near Brandy Station.

August 4 — At sunrise this morning we were ordered to the front. We started immediately after we received the order. We passed through Culpeper Court House and moved out on the Brandy Station road. After we had proceeded about four miles on that road we were ordered back to Culpeper Court House, as the Yankees were advancing on the Rickseyville road from the direction of Hazel River. We went back nearly to town and halted on a commanding hill and awaited orders.

Late this evening General Jenkins attacked the Yankee cavalry at Brandy Station and drove them back a mile. At dusk we were ordered forward again toward Brandy Station. We moved in that direction through a hard rain, accompanied with thunder and lightning; at some places on the road the water was two feet deep. It was ten o’clock to-night when we halted to camp, one mile west of Brandy Station. Camping to-night is a cheerless affair, as thunder-shower after shower passed over us all afternoon and evening, and everything we have, and everything around us, is wet from the ground up to the tree tops.

August 3 — In camp. General R. E. Lee passed our camp to-day; he rode leisurely along the road unaccompanied by any one, and seemed as unconcerned as an old farmer going to his daily toil.

To-day General A. P. Hill, with his corps of infantry, passed our camp.

August 2 — All quiet in front. We remained in camp until this evening, then moved back to the brigade wagons, to have our horses shod. The brigade wagon camp is on the Orange Court House road, a mile south of Culpeper Court House.

August 1 — We were on picket to-day until noon; were relieved then by the second section of our battery. We came back to camp and were there about two hours when orders came for us to move camp, as the enemy was advancing on Culpeper Court House. Soon after we received orders to move camp we heard artillery and musket firing in the direction of Brandy Station. In quick succession the boom of cannon came rolling across the fields of Culpeper, which was a clear and self-evident indication that there was a sharp conflict transpiring not far away.

We had our horses hitched to the battery and were ready to move at a moment’s notice, and were waiting with momentous anxiety for a summons to hasten to the field of action.

We did not have to wait long, for the firing grew fiercer every moment, and soon a courier came post haste for us to hurry to the fray. We started at once and moved rapidly for about four miles, then we drew in sight of the battle-field, which was already piled full of bunches of white, battle smoke. When we first arrived in sight of the field two Yankee batteries were shelling some of our infantry and a battery on our right. We were directly on the right flank of the Yankee line, and we opened a square enfilade fire on their batteries, which compelled them to abandon their position immediately after we opened. We advanced then and took another position and opened fire, and the Yanks again retired, and so we kept up a running fight for two hours, in which time we drove the enemy back about three miles. Then the shades of night were already falling fast, and the gathering darkness lulled the wavelet of war to quietude and rest. The field where the little fight occurred is a level plain about two miles long, with the Orange and Alexandria Railroad on one side and a body of woods on the other. It is identically the very same field where General Stuart held his grand reviews last June.

The engagement to-day was principally between cavalry, with some artillery mixed in on both sides.

General Hampton’s cavalry and General Jones’ brigade were in the fight on our side. For the last few days the weather has been oppressively hot, in fact, too hot for an active butcher business. However, if the bluecoats can endure it the gray jackets can do the same thing.

After the fight this evening we moved back about two miles west of Brandy Station, and camped.

July 31 — This morning we went to our picket post again on duty. We saw a few Yankee cavalrymen to-day on the opposite side of the Hazel. They were looking quietly around, and behaving themselves, so we did n’t molest them.

July 30 — Went on picket this morning on the Warrenton road and near Hazel River; all quiet in front. Late this evening we moved back about four hundred yards from our picket post and camped for the night.