George Meade, The Life and Letters of George Gordon Meade, Major-General United States Army
George Gordon Meade, Ed.

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[124] with the order sent him at 12.30 P. M., followed up the enemy along the Hagerstown Road. The First Brigade of the First Division was in the lead, marching in line of battle, covered by a heavy line of skirmishers, when, having gone about six miles and being about two miles from Fairfield, they came upon the rear-guard of the rebel army, which was posted so as to protect the passage of its trains. A sharp engagement ensued, resulting in the capture of about two hundred and fifty prisoners.

The Sixth Corps then continued on to Fairfield, the enemy retiring before it, where they remained, while General Neill, in command of his brigade of infantry and of McIntosh's brigade of cavalry with two pieces of light artillery and a battery of rifled pieces, was detached to move early the next morning to reconnoitre the enemy's position at the Gap.

After this encounter General Sedgwick reported to General Meade, which report he received at 6 P. M., that he had come upon the enemy, who had made a stand in force, and that he had ascertained from prisoners taken that McLaws's division was bringing up the rear of the rebel army with Alexander's artillery immediately in his (Mc-Laws's) front, and that they were going to the Gap, where they intended making a stand.

On receiving the above information, the forward movement of the army was arrested by the issue of the following circulars and orders and the army held in its then position until further information could be obtained as to the probability of the enemy making a stand in force in the mountains: