General Butler and several regiments of troops arrived a few days after us, and we were able to transport his whole brigade to Washington.
I took my place upon the first engine which started for the Capital, and proceeded very cautiously.

Some distance from Washington I noticed that the telegraph wires had been pinned to the ground by wooden stakes.

I stopped the engine and ran forward to release them, but I did not notice that the wires had been pulled to one side before staking.

When released, in their spring upwards, they struck me in the face, knocked me over, and cut a gash in my cheek which bled profusely.

In this condition I entered the city of Washington with the first troops, so that with the exception of one or two soldiers, wounded a few days previously in passing through the streets of Baltimore, I can justly claim that I "shed my blood for my country" among the first of its defenders.