White’s people found the Yankee pickets on the pike and drove them to their reserves, which were drawn up in a body of timber running parallel with the road and separated from it by an open line of level grass fields, about three hundred yards in width, and as soon as the Colonel found that a heavy force of cavalry was here he reported it to Gen. Lee, who sent Gen. “Extra Billy” Smith with his infantry brigade to support the battalion in guarding the flank.
There had always been a feeling of dislike between the Infantry and Cavalry, the former regarding the latter as the most favored branch—in not being compelled to walk—but nothing so thrilled them with dread as a cavalry charge, while the cavalry feared even more to attack the infantry of the enemy; and Napoleon, at the Pyramids, proved that cool courage and scientific handling made infantry invincible against the finest cavalry in the world, for such the Mamelukes certainly were; but for all that the Infantry preferred to have their foes on foot.
White’s battalion moved up the turnpike, with Gen. Smith’s brigade in support, but very soon the General found that he was becoming separated from the army, while on the flank and front the enemy’s cavalry was threatening him, and fearing to be cut off if he advanced further he decided to retire, which he did, halting at a cross-road a mile back, and White and his boys had a great deal more than their hands full, but what they could do they did, and in constant dashes, first up the road in front and then out on the right, they drove back the enemy’s parties as often as they advanced.
The situation was full of excitement, to which the roar of the great battle, raging at its hottest in their rear, added force; but by-and-bye long lines of cavalry were discovered marching quietly from the woods on the left, and now it did appear that the enemy was all around, for no one doubted the new force being Yankees.
Making one last charge up the turnpike, in which a regiment of the enemy was driven wildly back, Col. White turned his command and retired slowly toward the position of Gen. Smith, but pretty soon, in a cloud of dust, Gen. Stuart and staff galloped up the road, inquiring eagerly for news; and just then, as the Colonel called his attention to the new forces on the left, the wind unfurled their banners and displayed the battle-flag of Dixie, while Stuart remarked, "that is Gen. Fitz Lee’s Division;" and a perfect storm of cheers and glad shouts of welcome went up from White’s excited battalion. As soon as General Stuart could get his division up he opened the battle by sending a regiment across the fields before spoken of to the woods, but when half way to the timber a regiment of the enemy came out, and in a few minutes was driven back, but being reinforced by another the Confederate regiment retired, when Stuart sent a second regiment to aid his first, and thus the battle spread, growing fiercer as the numbers engaged increased, while the artillery played upon all points where it could be managed without injury to its own troops.