I saw General McDowell in Centreville, and understood that several of his divisions had not been engaged at all, that he would reorganize them at Centreville, and there await the enemy.

I got my four regiments in parallel lines in a field, the same in which we had camped before the battle, and had lain down to sleep under a tree, when I heard some one asking for me.

I called out where I was, when General Tyler in person gave me orders to march back to our camps at Fort Corcoran.

I aroused my aides, gave them orders to call up the sleeping men, have each regiment to leave the field by a flank and to take the same road back by which we had come.

It was near midnight, and the road was full of troops, wagons, and batteries.