Jackson at once advanced with the 5th Virginia Infantry, numbering 380 men and one gun, while Stuart, with 100 cavalry, started to make a circuitous route, and harassed the flank and rear of the enemy.

There was no intention on the part of Jackson of fighting a battle, his orders being merely to feel the enemy, whose strength was far too great to be withstood, even had he brought his whole brigade into action, for they numbered three brigades of infantry, 500 cavalry, and some artillery.
For some hours the little Confederate force skirmished so boldly that they checked the advance of the enemy, whose general naturally supposed that he had before him the advanced guard of a strong force, and therefore moved forward with great caution.

Then the Confederates, being threatened on both flanks by the masses of the Federals, fell back in good order.

The loss was very trifling on either side, but the fact that so small a force had for hours checked the advance of an army greatly raised the spirits and confidence of the Confederates.

Stuart's small cavalry force, coming down upon the enemy's rear, captured a good many prisoners--Colonel Stuart himself capturing forty-four infantry.