September 4 — This morning we started on a scout. We went nearly to Falls Church, within about eight miles of Washington. We struck a small body of Yanks about two miles from Falls Church. We drove them back to Falls Church, where they had a considerable force, some of which were infantry. They made a bold and obstinate stand there and stood our fire much better than they usually do. We fired on them some six or eight times, when they threw out a flanking party and we had to retire with our little force, as our scouting party was small and not prepared to fight infantry.
There was a regiment of Yankee infantry packed in a narrow troughy road that was lined on both sides with large locust trees. The place was about a mile and a half from our position, and I could not discern them with the naked eye through the foliage of the trees. Some officer in our cavalry called my attention to the spot and said that there was a Yankee regiment standing in the road under the locust trees. I still could not see them until he handed me his field-glass, and told me where to look. As soon as I got the glass to bear on the place I saw about a regiment of infantry standing in close order and facing from us, ready to march. I gave them a shell, and they marched off right away, and double-quick at that.
My gun again kicked loose from its mounting today, and I had to take it off the field for repairs. We passed Vienna to-day, a station on the Loudoun branch of the Alexandria Railroad. We got back to camp at ten o’clock to-night.
