John G. Nicolay, The Outbreak of Rebellion

It has been explained that the first rebel line was composed mainly of Johnston's troops. As they retreated up the hill south of Young's Branch, Jackson's brigade of five regiments, also of Johnston's army, was just arriving there on its way to guard the stone bridge, and only at that moment learning the true state of affairs. This hill south of Young's Branch was a higher and stronger position than that from which Evans and Bee had been driven. Its crest ran in a westerly curve from the Robinson house, near the Warrenton turnpike, past the Henry house near the Sudley road, both being within the southeastern angle of the intersection. The two roads cross in the valley at Young's Branch, and from their crossing ascend gently to the east, west, north, and south.

On this crest, Jackson, with the ready instinct of combat, formed a new line. His five regiments and two batteries, stretched from the Robinson to the Henry houses, formed a solid-looking protection, behind which some of the flying rebels gathered courage and rallied in little driblets. Bee's five regiments had shrunk to about four companies, and the remaining fugitives were moving in hopeless panic down the Sudley road toward Manassas, spreading direful tidings of disaster. Jackson's line was rendered yet stronger by having Hampton's battalion — that morning arrived from Richmond — on its extreme right in the turnpike before the Robinson house; and behind these, Bee's fragments were gathered into a sheltering ravine.

At this period of the day, a little after noon, the advancing Union columns had their best co-operation and strongest momentum. Keyes' brigade was advancing on the left toward the Robinson hill. Sherman was moving diagonally across the centre of the morning's field. Porter's still aggressive brigade was pushing down the Sudley road.