CHAPTER VIII.
WINTER-QUARTERS An impracticable country--Movements suspended--Experienced troops ordered away--My orders from Washington--Rosecrans objects--A disappointment--Winter organization of the Department--Sifting our material--Courts-martial--Regimental schools--Drill and picket duty--A military execution--Effect upon the army--Political sentiments of the people--Rules of conduct toward them--Case of Mr.
Parks--Mr.Summers--Mr.Patrick--Mr.Lewis Ruffner--Mr.
Doddridge--Mr.B.F.

Smith--A house divided against itself--Major Smith's journal--The contrabands--A fugitive-slave case--Embarrassments as to military jurisdiction.
Floyd's retreat was continued to the vicinity of Newberne and Dublin Depot, where the Virginia and East Tennessee Railway crosses the upper waters of New River.

He reported the country absolutely destitute of everything and the roads so broken up that he could not supply his troops at any distance from the railroad.

[Footnote: Official Records, vol.v.pp.

287,288.] Rosecrans was of a similar opinion, and on the 19th of November signified to General McClellan [Footnote: _id_., p.