I will write in full from Friday at Winchester, Va., until Thursday at Manassas, Va.

    FRIDAY MORNING -- All the guards on all the roads let everybody come to town, but none to go back home. At the same time General Joseph E. Johnson gave orders to all of our captains to let two men go to town. The same order was issued about every twenty or thirty minutes until all went that wanted to, then they were detailed to go until all went but the cooks. Capt. White of Co. I, 7th, Ga. Regt. said the dinner will burn, the officers said, "Let it burn," they all have to go.

    By this time the streets and stores were all full of soldiers, no room for the farmers to get around. The soldiers were secretly and quietly ordered back to camps, then ordered into lines. We marched in columns about every four hundred yards apart right toward General Patterson's army that was said to be two miles from Winchester. We marched to the top of the rise, then stacked our arms. The land was all cleared as far as we could see both ways. We were then ordered to tear down the fences, in a few minutes I could not see a fence standing anywhere. Genl. Joe Johnson had let the farmers go home. They were passing through our army at that time going right into General Patterson's army. We captured a man Sunday that was right with General Patterson when the farmers came up and gave their report. They said the town was so full of soldiers they could not get in the stores or walk the streets and they were marching out this way. They had their guns, stacked up all along the ridge bright and glistening and got all the fences torn down.

    General Patterson asked, "how many do you suppose there is of them?" One answered, "A hundred thousand or more;" another farmers said, "A hundred thousand! there. is more men than I ever saw in all my whole life. I don't know where all came from." General Patterson trembled like a leaf.

    I will tell the rabbit story, next.

    When the fences were all torn down, the boys jumped a rabbit on the ridge to our right. The rabbit ran down toward our regiment running under the feet of the boys as it came down. It was so badly scared at so much fuss, it stopped and layed down for some one to come and get it. Joe Johnson's whole army was hollering and laughing at once. The clear blue sky echoed the sound back to us. It sounded like thousands of men up in the elements making a fuss just. like us. The prisoners asked me what we did to make such a noise. He said he had never heard so much fuss in all his life before. He said General Patterson shook like he had an ague. General Patterson formed a line of battle that evening and all night, as soon as it was dark we fell in a silent column and marched around the foot of the hill that General Patterson was on. We could hear them talking just over the hill. We waded the Shenandoah River and went over the Blue Ridge and on Saturday morning before day a goodly number of General Johnson's men were on the trains going to Manassas. Big money was offered to the engineers to wreck a train to stop Johnson's army, but Genl. Johnson had an engineer on each engine. One of the regular engineers for the hope of the large purse offered reversed his engine. Joe Johnson's engineers took hold at once. The regular engineers were put under arrest and were forced to give all the papers and info'rmation to the new engineer and his life threatened if he failed in one point.

    On Sunday morning, the 21st day of July, we received orders before breakfast that we would have inspection of arms at nine o'clock and preaching at eleven. In a few minutes we were ordered to fall in again. We were supposecko get another little order, we left our breakfast on the fire nearly done enough to eat, but we were ordered "Forward March." We did not know where to, or how long or what until we heard a cannon fire about six'o'clock in the morning. The boys began to look wild. We filed left marching throUgh the fields and were shot at by one cannon as we went. We were ordered to double quick. All the boys obeyed that order well and when we got near the upper ford where so much shooting was going on we were ordered to lay down behind a pine thicket. A Yankee battery saw us go behind it, but they thought we went on into the woods. They shelled the woods about two hours, the shells passing just over us as we were lying in the bright, hot sun. There were no clouds nor timber to break it off "don't you forget it, it was hot." We were then ordered to the front in double quick time. One of the boys pulled off his haversack and threw it down. I saw two cakes of bread in it. I reached down and got one ,cake and began to eat. I had had no breakfast nordinner either. In half a minute I heard the cannon fire again to our left. I looked around and saw the smoke. I then looked down in front of me to see where it was going and I saw the dirt and dust fly up just under my foot.

    A cannon ball passed just before my foot got there. "One close call."

    We were ordered to file to the right and lie down behind a fence. We were soon ordered to lie down in the road, a fence on each side. Colonel Bartow of the 8th Ga. Regt. came to us there and was considerably excited, having just been relieved down on the run and went to telling Colonel Gartrell of the 7th Ga. Regt. about the fight. There was a line of men coming up from Bull. Run in a line of battle. There was a man in the company with me just my height, we always marched together. He. had a long telescope he always carried with him. He said, "I don't like the way they march. Our men march in columns, they are coming up in line of battle." He looked through the telescope and said they were Yankees. They are coming under the Confederate Flag and have the stars and stripes roiled up around the staff. I said, go show this to the colonels. He did so but Barton. said "get in ranks." He tried to show and tell them but Barton stormed at him to get in rank' or he would have him put under arrest. when he got back, I said. "If we lie here, we will be killed or captured in a few minutes. Some. one said, let us shoot at them and four or five of us shot. Barton tiptoed in his stirrups and said, "Cease firing. The generals told me that General Bee would support me on my right and this is him coming to our assistance." And he went to telling about the fight again. By this time, they were less than one hundred yards from us. I said, let us shoot again. I had a good head on their commander on horseback and he hollowed out "fire." When the colonel saw them bringing down their guns, Barton bellowed out "retreat." The most of the boys jumped up right in the volley of the bullets, but I knew they were coming and I lay still until they passed then I got up and started. Two files of men tried to climb the fence at once and pulled the fence down on some of them. I then went to another place to climb and as I was going over I heard a bullet hit a rail right close to my leg and I saw the 'dust fly out on both sides of the rail in about three or four inches of my leg. "Second close call."

    When I was over, I found I was the hindmost man, they shot at me and killed a man just in front of me. I began to get scared. I knew it was dangerous to be behind so I began to pass the boys like they were standing still. We went up in the woods and sat down in the shade for the first time that day. One of the general's aides asked, is there any man that has any water. I thought that was an unreasonable question to ask. But he said, this is General Beauregard, if there is any one that has any water, for God's sake let him have it. One of our men let him have a drink. He then ordered us to support a battery at the Henry House. While lying down supporting that battery a shell bursted in three feet of my head, cutting down the man touching me on both sides leaving me unhurt, thanks to God for that." "Third close call."

    Capt. White ordered Company J to turn around and lie down in a little hollow. I lay down in a gulley just large enough to receive my body, and I said to myself and my God, "I thank thee, 0 Lord, that thou hast preserved me." I prayed for the success of our army. My mind ran back in a few moments, to Joshua, Sampson, David and others, where one could chase a thousand, and two could put ten thousand to flight. I prayed that our men might be made as bold as lions and the Yankees might be faint-hearted and flee when no main pursued them.

    We were ordered back to. General Beauregard. Before we had time to sit down one of his aides came dashing up and whispered something to the General. He 'turned around quickly, saying, fall in, forward march, double quick. Cross the fences yonder pointing his hand and saying, If you beat them, there, you will have the advantage, if they beat, they will have it.

    We went in a hurry, as soon as we were in line I heard the order to fire, but saw nothing to shoot at and I held my fire. There was a stump just in front of me and I got on the upper side of it. I could see the Yankees from their breast up. I took good sight and shot and lay down to load. When I got up I had to advance several steps to get in front to shoot. I only understood one order after the word fire, that was, "shoot their horses." Before I got my gun loaded they were all shot down. When I was on the top of the ridge lying down to 1oad there were two men shot, one on either side of me. I could have put my hand on either of them. "Fourth close call"

    When I got up to shoot I found I had failed to put the cap on my gun. When I was getting ready to shoot, I was watching them load their cannon in about forty steps in front of me. When it was loaded the cannonier pointed right at me. Then- he threw up his hands for a signal that all things are ready, shoot. He stepped back behind No. 4, and No. 2, the three being in line with me. They had sight on me and I had sight on them, but I shot first and I reckon I hit them all as they ran leaving their guns loaded. I saw them run through the infantry just behind them.

    If I had been one or two second later in shooting I would not have been writing this letter for you to read. "Fifth close call."

    I saw a split log smokehouse at the Henry house a little to my right. I ran to it. A man from Company H. beat me there. He shot first, then sat down, his gun being fully exposed to the Yankees. I took hold of him, pushed him back out of sight of the Yankees. We took it time about, the Yankees being about forty-five steps from us. We shot cornerways through double ranks. It looked like it would be impossible to shoot four balls through their ranks without hitting someone. A crowd soon came to us, the Yankees began to shoot hot balls at us. I heard a ball hit something, I thought it was somebody's gun, and I knew it would not do to shoot a gun with it dented in, so I looked at mine and then ran my hand over it and got it burnt, having gotten very hot by shooting. I went to the other corner, but bushes prevented me from seeing. I saw a man at the garden gate motion for me to come to him. I started but when I got in the road, leading from the house to the main public road, I saw about six or eight Yankee officers standing in a round huddle facing in, holding a council of war. I took sight at the main bulk of them and I broke up the council of war. When my gun fired they just melted away. Two started to hunt an ambulance, two sat down, one on either side of the road, the rest in the fence corners, the worse scared looking men I ever saw.

    I then went into the garden, I fired the first shot across the big road, the second time the man with me jerked my coat tail and whispered to me, do not shoot there but shoot here in the corn. We singled out a man at a time, took sight like killing a beef. We shot, lay down to load. I became anxious to know was I killing or not. I got up to shoot, there was a large man sitting down with the stars and stripes waving them. I took good sight at him, waited for the smoke to rise, I saw him no more, but the flag was failing. A crowd gathered in and the shot began to draw the crowd. I moved off to the left and was taking a rest off of a clothes rope when the rope was shot in two about a foot to the left of my gun, only missing my left shoulder a few inches. "Sixth close call."

    During the fight that day I thought of one of the histories of Geo Washington, where an Indian took six fair shots at Geo. Washington and would not shoot any more. He said, "Ther is no use, an unseen hand turned these bullets aside." I felt that my prayer was heard and answered, especially when I saw the big road full in a stampede for Washington.

    At that time I heard a volley fire just behind me. General Bee's men sent to our relief. I went behind the Henry House, the doctors dressing the wounds. I went out, into the Orchard and met Sam Wylie, one of my neighbor boys, We both asked the same question at the same time, "Where is our Regiment?" I never wanted water so bad in my life. We started to hunt some water and we found Gen. Bartow dead and laid out at the edge of the pine thicket, no one about him. We both knew him ancl expressed our regret over his loss. We went down a big gulley that water had been in since the last rain. One of them gave me his tin cup. I dipped down by a tarapin and got if full of mud and water together and never once thought of it being dirty. I drank it down to where it was so thick I could not drink it. That was the best drink I ever had in my life - the soda fountains can't begin to equal it.

    We started down hunting more water. Two Lietuenants came along, carrying a large heavy man, and asked us to help them. We looked at each other, thinking of our own wounded soldiers needing help but we heard that, it was General Bee, so we went and helped to carry him off.

    We found Captain White about sundown. He said we were all ordered to Manassas. When I got to the branch I drank half a gallon of water, filled canteen and went toward Manassas. I fell in company with a soldier. Our roads forked after a while. He said one road was right and I said the other. Each took his road, I founcl I was wrong, climbed a fence and started aeross the field and found an old house place with fine shade trees, one having large grape vine on it. I went on and soon came to the same place, then I knew I was lost. I had a little blanket I had picked up on the battle field, so I lay down on it and in a few minutes was sound asleep. I slept until a large drop of rain hit me in the face the next morning. My gun was loaded and I did not want it to get wet.

    There was a tree standing about as far as where I had done most of my shooting on Sunday, and about as large as a man's body. I shot at it to see if I did kill anyone on Sunday. I centered the tree with an ounce ball, scattered buck shot around and hit the tree four times. Pretty good I thought.

    I heard wagons passing and I went into the road. I asked soldiers that passed the way to Manassas, and it was hard for me to believer it was that way. I met a man that asked me had I been to breakfast. I said "no." He said, "We have breakfast for all that was in the fight. I know you were in it, just go right in, don't wait for further invitation." I was so hungry I never thought about washing. A soldier passing in front of me said, "You have the blackest face of any white man I ever saw eating at a table, and a white man's table at that." I had eaten nothing from Saturday until Monday, unless I did eat the bread I got out of the man's sack when we were being fired on by the artillery. I had eaten but little when I was taken sick. I went to Manassas and joined our regiment. The boys went right into my cartridge box and found I had fired 18 rounds. One in the company had fired 19.

    I was glad to find so many of our men still alive, but sorroy indeed to hear of Jno. Daniell being shot with an ounce ball just before he got the flag placed on the gun that I silenced. He was our flag bearer in Co. J. He was my mess mate and my bunk mate and a very good man.

    As soon as I washed, ate rny breakfast and washed again I went to the hospital and stayed with him until Wednesday morning. They sent him to Richmond. All the boys had been to the battle field but me, and I went that day. It was five miles. I found a bunch of Yankee prisoners sitting by the road. I sat down and talked with one of them while I rested. He was with General Patterson when we hollowed so about the rabbit.

    It was funny to hear him tell how Genl. Johnson could keep Genl. Patterson scared so bad while he marched around him and not fight him.

    Genl. Scott's plans were to surround Genl. Beauregard at the Henry House. A bunch of prisoners were in the regiment marching around him. All had their eyes turned toward the Henry House, supposing all Beauregard's men were in their circle. Suddenly there was a volley poured into them from the right and they could see another regiment coming behind them, and a man jumped up on a log and hollowed out loud, "Look out for Joe Johnson." He said he never saw men run so in all his life. That was the stampede I saw coming down the road. I also saw the black horse cavalry going after them.

    The Yankees understood them to mean "We ask no quarter and we give none," the same as the Black Flag. I left the prisoners and went on to the battle field. I saw that it was only three feet from my head to where the shell bursted, that cut down the man touching me on both sides. I stepped the distance from the garden to where the Yankee's company lay in the corn, that I shot at so many times, at forty-five steps. I could not get the exact distance I was from the cannon, but I should say it was about forty steps from the Yankee offcers when I broke up the council of war. I was telling that in camp when another man said: "1 shot into them. I had thought it was me that got such a hustle on them." Eight balls passing in their midst at once was enough to make them hustle. The Yankees never sent back to bury their dead. Our men were burying them on Wednesday when I was there.

    I got so sick I went back to Manassas. I was broke out with measles when I got there. I was sent to a little plank hospital not good enough for a cow to stand in. I had a relapse and if it had not been for some peach brandy that Uncle Jerry Daniel brought to the boys of Co. J I suppose I would have died. "Seventh close call," in five days.

     The measles settled in my right ear and I didn't hear anything for nine weeks out of that ear. The doctors gave me a discharge from the army the 24th day of Sept. I went home and got well during the winter.

    I volunteered in A. Laden's 9th Ga. Battalion of Artillery, made up in Atlanta, Ga.

    I was captured by Genl. Burnside at Cumberland Gap the 9th of Sept., 1863, was carried to Camp Douglas, Ill. I stayed there 20 months.

    I look for our next war to be a religious war, the worst war in the world and it is drawing near.

    R. H. FLEMING.