Friday, April 25. Camp Number 2, Price’s Farm, four miles. — Rained in torrents all night. The windows of heaven were indeed opened. By midnight the streams we crossed with teams yesterday swum a courier’s horse. At 7:30 this morning they were impassable — swollen to rushing rivers. About seven this morning rain ceased to fall.
Received orders last evening to send party to New River to crush one hundred and twenty-five Rebels who crossed Monday evening. In view of the storm, order countermanded this A. M. Hereafter the camps of this detachment will be known by their number. This is Number 2. Men catch fish this morning — a species of chub. We have a corps of scouts organized, Sergeant Abbott commanding, composed chiefly of citizens — six or eight citizens. Names: Russell G. French, Mercer County farmer, and Thos. L. Bragg, Wm. C. Richmond, Maxwell, and Simpkins, all of Raleigh.
Prepared during the afternoon to send four companies, A, E, G, and H, to the junction of New River and Bluestone to “bag” (favorite phrase with officers) a party of one hundred and twenty-five Rebels supposed to be there on this side, shut in by the high water. They left in the night under Major Comly, Dr. Webb accompanying. Had a dress parade and a spirited little drill after it. The sun set bathing the western sky and its fleecy clouds in crimson. Said to indicate fair weather. I hope so. The streams still too high to be crossed.
