Aborted attempt to cross the Potomac—Rhode Island Light Artillery

Wednesday, October 23.—A clear day. The enemy in great force around Leesburg. We can see the church steeples of that place. Skirmishing kept up all day. In the evening our battery received orders to embark and cross the river,—Capt. Tompkins, having come back from Harper’s Ferry, with the right section, the evening before,—three guns were already loaded on a canal boat, together with Company C, First Maryland Regiment, and started; but the current of the stream being too strong, and losing half of the oars, they had to return again. Orders awaited us already to disembark immediately, and return to camp. All the troops withdrew from the Virginia shore before daylight,—eight thousand men in all.