There was desperate fighting as the troopers came together at the intersection of the Brock and the Furnace roads. Jeb Stuart's attempt to get around in our rear to make a dash on the wagon trains of the Army of the Potomac, and to smash things generally, was a complete failure. He was driven back from the Furnace road, and after a stubborn stand at Todd's Tavern the rebel cavalry leader was forced to call off his troops and fall back from Sheridan's immediate front. In the afternoon, having been re-enforced, and after being ordered by Lee to turn Grant's left, Stuart again attacked the Federal troopers. He was assisted by infantry, but Little Phil refused to budge an inch from the position held at Todd's Tavern. The rebels were driven back with heavy loss. In the meantime the entire army was engaged, and the fighting was continued all day. A rebel trooper of Fitzhugh Lee's division, taken prisoner the evening of May 6, inquired: “Who's you all fightin' under this time?” “Grant.” “I reckoned so; but who's overseer of the critter companies?” “Sheridan.” “He's a doggoned good 'un. Fitz Lee knew what he was talkin' 'bout, when he told Wade Hampton that we all would be 'bliged to take care of our own flanks this trip.” “You're right, Johnny.” “Be you all headed for Richmond, sure 'nough?” “That's where we're going.” “But what be you all to do with me?” “We'll send you North, and let you live on the fat of the land till we gobble up the rest of the rebel army.” “Stranger, do you mean it?” “Certainly.” “Hallelujah! I'm ready to be fatted. Where's you all's commissary department?” He was sent to the rear with the other prisoners. At the close of the second day's battle in the Wilderness, the report was current among the troopers of Sheridan's cavalry corps, that the Army of the Potomac would retire from the front of Lee's army in that Virginia jungle and fall back to Fredericksburg, which would be occupied as a new base of supplies pending the re-organization of the army to again move “On to Richmond!” There is no denying the fact that the Army of the Potomac was seriously crippled. An order to fall back to the north bank of the Rapidan would have been accepted as a matter of course had the new commander directed such a movement. But if some of the soldiers had known Grant better, they would have spent less time that night in speculating whether the line of retreat would be by the Germania plank road or over the route to Ely's ford. It turned out that Grant did not discover that the “Yankees were whipped in the Wilderness” until he read an account of the “rout of the Federal army” in a Richmond paper at Spottsvlvania a few days later. Of course, it was then too late for the Union commander to use the information to any advantage. It may be remarked also, that Lee had not heard of Grant's defeat until he received the news via the rebel capital.