August 16 — This morning at daylight we moved out to the Rapidan. When we arrived there the pickets were firing at each other across the river. The Sixth Virginia Cavalry crossed the Rapidan and captured seven of the Yanks’ cavalry that were on picket, and drove the rest back to their camp. After our cavalry drove in their pickets we heard their infantry drums beating the long roll, which was a certain indication that the Yank infantry camp was not far away, and slightly stirred up. The Sixth Virginia fell back and recrossed the river, and soon afterwards I saw a skirmish line march out of a woods about a mile from us. We held a splendid position with a first-class command of all the fields over which they would have to advance in attempting to drive us away or force a passage of the river.
We opened fire on their skirmishers with two of our rifled guns and drove their line back in the woods whence it had come. Soon after we settled their skirmishers we moved back to the Court House and remained there under marching orders till night, then moved to the southern edge of town and camped near the railroad.
This evening a train came in from Gordonsville, filled with conscripts from North Carolina.
