Letter from Aldace Freeman Walker to Aldace and Mary Walker

[June 63] Sunday eve 10 p.m.

I have sealed and mailed one letter to you this morning but as I am in my tent ready for bed & not sleeping perhaps I will tell a longer story. We have been considerably excited to-day - & no wonder, as it is our first scare & quite an event. I told of the Quartermaster who brought us the news. It seems now that Burton had a message from Col. Haskin about the same time, saying that the rebs. win at [Rockville??] & on the [???age] -- 2 000 strong -- As I said we started off 20 new Regimts & then most of us went into the fort. There are two roads from the city to Rockville -- thus [drawing - map] Rockville Carr Ford Potomac Lincoln

If you can understand it - dubious -

They crossed I suppose last night at Carr Ford or there abouts -- camped at Rockville -- sent a body towards the city on the road west of us -- caught the wagon train -- a big one - 9 miles from "Reno" - have since burnt it as we hear - saw the smoke — saving of course some 500 miles — This is a big drive - some thousands

of [govt.?] cattle out to pasture that way somewhere - Col. [Becgwith?] sent for them this morn - the drovers have just come back - met the rebs. 9 miles out this road & had to return - They have force enough to hold that place a while - & send over & cut the Rail road - & then strike for Penn & [Lu.?] I hardly think they will return as they came - If they do it will be to-night & we shall hear nothing more of them. I dont think we shall see them here either, for they wont come within range of Artillery except by accident - but they will ravage the country in front - & property of all sorts is being run within the lines. Another force was sent out at night under L'r Austin to beguard Blair's place. Burton went out there this p.m. leaving me orders to, if I heard any firing from his party, drop a couple of shells over them - which I was ready to do - Tonight "C" is in the fort of course - & enough from the other Co's. to man the guns - Burton is there too - If there is an alarm I am to get the rest of the Battalion there sudden - But I dont at all anticipate it - What I most fear is that the R.R. will be cut, & you not get my letters - I enjoy this I tell you -