August 10 — This morning when I awoke the wounded Federals were still lying on the field. Little after sunrise we started with Ashby’s old brigade of cavalry, now commanded by General Robinson, on a general reconnoissance to the right of Pope’s army. We moved off to the right of the battle-field and passed around the end of Cedar Mountain to the east side, then moved out on a beautiful level plain traversed by the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. After we went about three miles we struck the railroad and followed it about a mile and a half. We were then near General Pope’s army, and some of our cavalry that were scouting through the woods not very far from where we halted with the battery ventured unawares near Pope’s headquarters. I do not know whether our scouting party was discovered by the enemy or not, nor how close we were to the Yanks; but we were ordered to go into position with as little noise as possible and were even not allowed to talk above a whisper. Danger must have lurked near; however, I did not see it.
When we fell back from the advanced position we did it by sections; one section remained in battery until the other one retired and went into position. There must have been something dangerously close around that caused such a silent and cautious movement. When we had fallen back about a mile we remained in battery about half an hour, then returned to the hill south of the battle-ground where we were yesterday when the battle opened. We did not come back over the same route we went this morning, but flanked farther east and had to cross Cedar Mountain to get back, as the Yankee cavalry were looking and feeling for us along our morning track. I heard this morning that General Pope is getting heavy reinforcements from the direction of the Rappahannock.
I know now that the main object of our reconnoissance was to ascertain what is transpiring in Pope’s rear just at this particular time, after receiving his first military object lesson as taught by Stonewall Jackson.
We are camped this evening on a hill south of and overlooking yesterday’s fighting ground.
