October 14 — Still on picket. This morning I saw a captive balloon anchored over the Yankee camp in the direction of Harper’s Ferry. Balloon reconnoitering seems to be a safe way of making observations of an enemy’s forces, movements, and encampments, and where the country is level and not too much wooded the information obtainable from such an elevated altitude is as valuable and correct, if not more so, than could be acquired by a regular reconnoissance on terra firma; and is accompanied with less trouble and danger. The balloon I saw this morning was about four miles from our post and looked to be about a thousand feet from the ground.
Three Years in the Confederate Horse Artillery — George Michael Neese.
October 12 — On picket to-day we heard some cannon firing, which I suppose was in Loudoun County.
October 11—Went on picket one mile below Charlestown on the Harper’s Ferry pike.
October 4 — This morning I went to Charlestown with my detachment to relieve the second detachment. I returned to camp this evening, as the gunner of the second detachment refused to leave his piece, but took charge of my men.
October 3 — One gun went on picket, the remainder of the battery remaining in camp.
October 2 — This morning we moved to our old camp again, on the Charlestown and Berryville pike, three miles south of Charlestown.
October 1 — This morning we renewed our march and moved in a northern direction, winding among the hills along the eastern base of the Blue Ridge. At midday we struck the Alexandria and Winchester pike again, near Snickersville. This afternoon we crossed the Blue Ridge at Snickers Gap. Camped near Berryville.
September 30 — We renewed our march this morning and moved in a southern direction through a rather broken rolling country until we arrived at the Alexandria and Winchester pike; there the country was prettier and the land better. We followed the pike until we got above Aldie, then turned to the left, a move properly to the southwest of the pike, and traversed the southwestern portion of Loudoun County. Aldie is a small and very old-looking village on the Alexandria and Winchester pike; all the houses are old, and it has been a finished village for years, judging from the appearance of its antique habiliments. This afternoon we passed through Middleburg, a pleasant village situated in a fine country near the southwestern border of Loudoun. This evening we are camped at Upperville, a very old-looking place situated near the eastern base of the Blue Ridge, in the northern edge of Fauquier. It is a small village and the houses are scattering.
September 29 — Early this morning we renewed our march toward Leesburg. We arrived at the Shenandoah River about nine o’clock and remained there until noon, then forded the river and marched very fast all the remainder of the day until after dark. We crossed the Blue Ridge at Snickersville, a little village nestling close to the eastern base of the Blue Ridge in Loudoun County. We passed through Purcellville and Hamilton, small villages on the Leesburg and Winchester grade. To-night we are camped in Leesburg.
September 28 — To-day we left Leetown at noon and marched till after dark. Camped three miles east of Berryville. Berryville, the county seat of Clarke County, is situated in a fine country ten miles east of Winchester and five miles from the Shenandoah River.
