William Swinton, Campaigns of the Army of the Potomac

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[384] indicated to him in General Meade's orders, he discovered that he was there alone, in the immediate vicinity of the whole army of Lee, and found himself suddenly assailed while marching by the flank. But Warren was equal to the occasion, and by a remarkable vigor of action not only extricated his command from a perilous situation, but inflicted a severe blow to the Confederates. This action, known as the battle of Bristoe, I shall briefly detail.

As the head of the column of the Second Corps approached, Hill threw forward a line of battle towards the railroad; but Warren knew the locality with the critical knowledge of an engineer, and forming Webb's division on the right along the embankment near Broad Run, he ordered Hays' division to run for the railroad cut, invisible from the position of both opposing generals. This it quickly did, and the point was reached just in time to meet Hill's advancing line of battle, which, receiving a severe fire from the troops covered by the cut and embankment, and raked by the fire of Ricketts' battery, fell back with heavy loss. Warren immediately advanced a thin line in pursuit, and secured four hundred and fifty prisoners, two standards, and five pieces of artillery. The attack fell mainly on the First and Third brigades of General Webb's division—the former commanded by Colonel Heath, and the latter by General Mallon, an accomplished and patriotic officer who was killed in the action—and on the Third Brigade of General Hays' divis on, commanded by General Owen. The division of General Caldwell, which had formed the rear-guard, came up for a mile or two on the run, and took position on the left of Hays; but the action had already been decided. Warren's loss was comparatively slight.

Effectual as was the check which Warren had given Hill, the position of the former was not one in which he could remain, while, at the same time, it was difficult to withdraw. And now his situation became more dangerous; for just as towards sunset the combat closed, Ewell's corps, which had