Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 03.djvu/292

282 the night, two miles north of the Oxhill, on that road. Next morning, I returned by way of Frying Pan to connect with General Jackson, and inform him of the enemy as far as ascertained.

The head of his column was opposite Chantilly, and I disposed part of Robertson's brigade on his right flank between him and Centreville, and reconnoitred in person, but no force but a small one of cavalry was discernible nearer than Centreville. Oxhill was held by my cavalry till General Jackson came up, and having charged General Robertson with the care of the right flank, I first tried to force, with some skirmishers, our way down the turnpike toward Fairfax Courthouse, but the wooded ridges were firmly held by infantry and artillery, and it was plainly indicated that the enemy would here make a stand. General Jackson being in advance, waited for Longstreet to close up. Meanwhile, with Lee's brigade, I moved round toward Flint Hill, directly north of Fairfax Courthouse, to attack the enemy's flank. Passing Fox's mill and following a narrow and winding route in the midst of a heavy thunder-storm, I reached the summit of the ridge which terminates in the Flint Hill, about dark, and discovered in my immediate front a body of the enemy, a portion of which was thrown out as sharpshooters to oppose our further advance. Having thus discovered that Flint Hill was occupied by the enemy in force, and hearing about the same time some shots in my rear, I withdrew my command by the same road. As we approached the mouth of the road, the advance guard, under Colonel Wickham, engaged and drove off a portion of an infantry regiment which had taken position on the steep embankment of the road to dispute our return, and the command continued its march, bivouacking that night in the neighborhood of Germantown.

Meanwhile a heavy engagement had taken place on Jackson's right, the enemy having penetrated to his flank by way of Mollen's house.

On the next day, the enemy having retired, Fairfax Courthouse was occupied by Lee's brigade, and I sent Hampton's brigade, which had just reported to me, having been detained on the Charles City border until the enemy had entirely evacuated that region, to attack the enemy at Flint Hill. Getting several pieces of the Stuart horse artillery in position, Brigadier-General Hampton opened on the enemy at that point, and our sharpshooters advancing about the same time, after a brief engagement, the enemy hastily retired. They were immediately pursued, and Captain Pelham having chosen