Having served over two years in a good, hard-fighting infantry regiment,and being encamped at Newport News, Va., holding the dignified rank ofSergeant, I one day met our little fighting Major John G. Chambers whoasked me if I would like a commission in the 1st U. S. Colored Cavalry,then forming at Fort Monroe, to which I made answer that I would, and twoor three days thereafter I received an order, mustering me out of theservice and also an order to report to Colonel Garrard for duty as anofficer of the new regiment. Early the next morning, going down to thewharf to embark for Ft. Monroe, I showed to the sentry on the wharf (as myauthority for leaving) the order mustering me out. He looked it over andsaid in a home-sick way, “I would give $800 for that paper.” I reported toColonel Garrard, and for the first time saw this officer with whosereputation as a brave and efficient Major of the 3d N. Y. Cavalry I hadbeen well acquainted in the Department of North Carolina. This regiment,being the first colored cavalry regiment, had in its ranks a rather betterclass of men than the infantry regiments had; some being from the Northand some being the outlaw negroes who, in slavery times, had been able tomaintain their liberty in the swamps of Eastern Virginia and NorthCarolina. The regiment was officered largely from the 3d N. Y. Cavalry,and they were a thoroughly efficient and capable corps of officers. Theregiment was soon filled, mounted and equipped, and constant drill soonmade it have the manner and bearing of soldiers. Every one knew that theCampaign of 1864 meant business, and therefore all was in readiness whenabout May 1st orders came to move. We marched out through Hampton, ofwhich not one house was left except the little old stone church which isstill standing there. Through Big Bethel, the scene of one of the earliestdisasters of the war, to Yorktown, memorable for its two sieges in twowars, and thence on to Williamsburg, passing between Yorktown andWilliamsburg our infantry who, much to our surprise were marching veryhurriedly back to Yorktown. We learned afterward they were put on boardtransports at Yorktown and sent up the James to City Point and BermudaHundred. The next day we went up the Peninsula, passing 6 and 12 Mile andburnt ordinarys, camping at night at New Kent Court House. I commanded thepicket that night on the Bottoms Bridge Road and[Pg 4] the enemy’s scouts wereagainst us all night, keeping matters well stirred up. The next morning weturned South and met the enemy at Jones Ford on the Chickahominy. Theywere in an earthwork across the Ford and we opened on them with ourhowitzers in front and deployed as to cross in front, but a force was sentto the right up stream who managed to cross, and, coming down on theopposite side of the river, took the enemy in flank and soon drove themaway from the ford. Killing some and capturing some of the enemy, andhaving some killed and wounded, our movement having been a feint to makethe enemy believe that Butler’s Army of the James, as it was afterwardcalled, was moving up the Peninsula, having been accomplished, we returnedto Williamsburg, arriving there the ne