the
picket, declaring that he was a "rebel." The obvious course, under the
circumstances, before taking down the fence and advancing to the woods,
would have been to deploy a skirmish line and feel of the woods instead
of blundering blindly into them.

Fitzhugh Lee made a mistake in halting to dismount. He should have
charged the Sixth Michigan. Had he charged at once mounted as Rosser did
in the Wilderness, with his overwhelmingly superior force at the moment
of his arrival he must certainly have interposed between Custer and the
bridge. He allowed one regiment to detain his division until Custer
could bring back his brigade, and get his regiments into position to
support each other.

Major H.B. McClellan, Stuart's adjutant general, commenting in his
book[20] on this battle, says that "Custer was a hard fighter, even on a
retreat." He also says:

"Fitzhugh Lee had come up from Auburn expecting to gain, unopposed,
the rear of Kilpatrick's division, but he found Custer's brigade at
Broad Run ready to oppose him. A fierce fight ensued."

Major McClellan also quotes Major P.P. Johnston, who commanded a section
of Breathed's battery in the fight, as saying:

"My battery was hotly engaged. The battle was of the most obstinate
character, Fitz. Lee exerting himself to the utmost to push the
enemy, and Custer seeming to have no thought of retiring."

The battle was opened by Wickham's brigade of Virginians commanded by
Colonel T.H. Owen of the Third Virginia cavalry. It was the First,
Second and Third Virginia that led the advance. Pennington gave
Breathed's battery much the worst of it.

The truth is that Fitz. Lee did not find Custer ready to oppose him,
though it did not take him long to get ready, after he was attacked.
Custer with most of his command was well on his way to follow
Kilpatrick. Only one regiment was left behind, and that one
regiment--the Sixth Michigan cavalry--was taken entirely by surprise
when fired upon by the vidette, and was all that Colonel Owen had in
front of him when he arrived and began the attack. It is possible that
ignorance of what it was facing helped the Sixth Michigan to hold on
till Custer could be notified and brought back. And again, it is
possible that Custer was marching more slowly than the writer wots of;
that he suspected the ruse which was being played by his old West Point
instructor,[21] and sent the regiment out there for the express purpose
of develop