[16] Fifth Cavalry, while the First is kept in reserve. The battle soon rages along the line, the Confederates assuming at first the offensive, with the more vigor that they are not aware of the number of their adversaries. The Third Virginia dashes across the fields against the centre of their line; without allowing itself to be shaken by the fire of musketry, it reaches the enemy's lines with sabres drawn, when its progress is stopped by the wall of stones, which no horse can overleap; and while the Southerners are trying in vain to effect a passage, exposed at short range to the fire of the Federals, Colonel Duffie attacks them in the rear with the First Rhode Island, and drives them vigorously back. The Second Virginia tries in vain to check this charge; its commander, having leaped over a large ditch at the head of his men, is surrounded and captured. The fight is now carried on with side-arms in a narrow road where the Unionists have pursued their adversaries; the latter are definitely stopped and compelled to fall back upon their reserves. Lee, finding the left of the enemy so strong, decides to try his right, and orders Colonel Bower to make an effort to outflank him with his regiment, the Fifth Virginia. But these troops have scarcely advanced a short distance in that direction when they find themselves confronted by McIntosh's brigade and the Federal guns. Received by a terrible fire, the regiment is quickly driven back in disorder, and this causes the retreat of the whole Confederate line. The Unionists, who have been astonished at so vigorous an attack, do not take advantage of this opportunity to press the enemy and complete his defeat. They advance slowly, firing upon the small squadrons which Stuart and Lee are vainly bringing back to the charge in order to check their progress, and covering every group of men within their reach with shells. One of these projectiles inflicted a mortal wound upon young Pelham, who, at the age of twenty-one, had already gained the esteem and admiration of his chiefs.
The Confederates, thus repulsed, got as far as Brandy Station, about eight miles from Kelly's Ford; night was approaching, but it was absolutely necessary for them to hoodwink their adversaries in order to prevent them from completing their victory before dark. Lee had only three or four hundred men
