t
Battery did their full share of work.

More troops were withdrawn from Buford's front; and, at last, General
Gregg, finding himself overmatched, withdrew to the foot of the hill,
leaving two guns in the enemy's hands. Colonel H. S. Thomas describes
the cannoneers reluctantly obeying the order to leave the guns, some of
the men actually shedding tears.

Meanwhile, General Buford continued to push the enemy toward Fleetwood,
and again the Rebels began to resist us more stubbornly. Both sides
charged repeatedly with the sabre, and at times dismounted to fight
behind stone walls, Ames' rifles making themselves generally useful at
various points in the field.

In one very spirited charge of the Second Dragoons, General Merritt,
then a captain, rode impetuously on, not hearing the recall, followed by
Lieutenant Quirk. He noticed a prominent Rebel officer, and, riding
toward him, bringing his sabre to a point, he innocently remarked,
"Colonel, you are my prisoner!" The officer made a cut at his head:
Merritt, dexterously parrying the cut, only lost his hat. His opponent
turned out to be Colonel, afterward, General Wade Hampton. Lieutenant
Quirk called out to Merritt, "We're surrounded!" and, sure enough, a
Rebel ring had formed to see the "Yankee" officer brought down. But
Merritt and Quirk had not been taught to ride for nothing, and galloped
safely back into our lines, amid a shower of pistol bullets.

General Rodenbough, then a captain, and many others of the cavalry, had
personal encounters, in which they proved themselves to be excellent
swordsmen.

As our two columns drew nearer together, both aiming for Fleetwood Hill,
the junction was at last accomplished; and General Gregg rode into our
lines, reporting a heavy force of Rebel infantry pouring into Brandy
Station from Culpepper by rail.

General Pleasanton not caring to encounter the Rebel infantry,
especially after a day of such hard pounding, ordered General Gregg to
withdraw by way of Rappahannock Station; and Colonel Newhall was sent to
tell Buford to stop fighting, and go home by way of Beverly Ford.

The operation of withdrawal was accomplished without interference, the
enemy contenting themselves with looking on from a respectful distance.
As we approached Beverly Ford, the First Regular Cavalry turned up,
eager for the fray. They had been off on some detached duty and were too
late for any of the fun, so General Pleasanton had them all deployed as
mo