[June 24th]
At daylight every man of the staff was in the saddle and all the troops under arms. In person the general then rode out to the advance posts and spent most of the morning in obtaining information and inspecting the position of the advanced guard. We found this independent command a fine thing and ourselves great Moguls. We dined with the family in the house on chickens and soft bread, our cooks furnishing the supplies and doing the work, notwithstanding which we paid the thrifty housewife fifty cents per head for every meal we took there. During the day I think, we received fifty telegrams from General Hancock, who is at the Gap. He reported Stuart skirmishing all around his position, that his pickets were frequently driven in, and cautioned us time and again to be on the alert, which was entirely superfluous, as we even sleep with one eye open and never more than half of us at a time.
