Fitz Lee joined Stuart and they at once attacked Kilpatrick’s and Buford’s forces, now under the command of Major-General Pleasanton. The Federals fought bravely, but they were steadily pushed toward their position on Fleetwood Hill. It was now late in the afternoon, and Stuart, declining to attack them in their strong position, sent Fitz Lee to the left as if to cut off the Federals from the river. As soon as Pleasanton perceived this flanking movement, he withdrew from Fleetwood Hill and, protected by his artillery, crossed the river. Stuart’s weary troopers camped that night once more around Brandy Station, well pleased at having gained a decided victory over such large forces. Two days later, Stuart reached Warrenton where the whole army was encamped and he immediately received orders to proceed toward Catlett’s Station with two thousand men and seven guns, for the purpose of gaining accurate information about the position of Meade’s army. General Meade had started his forces back toward Culpeper Courthouse to engage General Lee in battle, but he found out that Lee was marching around his right, so as to get between him and Washington city. On receiving this information, Meade at once recalled his forces. These movements and countermovements came near resulting disastrously to Stuart who was caught between the advancing and retreating divisions of the Federals. When he reached Catlett’s Station, he found that a column of Federal infantry was moving toward that place. He at once fell back on the road to Warrenton and found another Federal corps in his rear. His situation was now one of great peril. It seemed that his force would either be captured or cut to pieces. Fortunately, when Stuart perceived his danger he was emerging from a piece of woods and night was closing in. He at once retired his command to the depths of the woods and called a council of his officers. They were so near the enemy that the neighing of a horse or the clash of a saber could be heard, and to make retreat impossible, they were hemmed in on one side by a swollen stream and on the other side by a forest. At first, it was proposed to leave the seven guns and cut their way out. Stuart, however, would not agree to abandon his artillery. At last, officers went through the command and ordered each man to stand by his horse’s head, and to make no sound himself nor let his horse make any. As soon as it was dark, Stuart ordered four trusted men to make their way to General Lee at Culpeper Courthouse. They were to inform him of the dangerous position of the cavalry and ask him to send aid as soon as possible. Then followed long hours of anxious waiting. During the night, a Federal corps marched past the front of Stuart’s position, but fortunately the noise of the moving column prevented the Federals from detecting the presence of the Confederates within the woods.