A short time after, General J. E. B. Stuart, with Hampton’s division, came down the Culpepper road, and then was ascertained the reason why the Yankees had wished to pass so rapidly. That General had defeated them at Culpepper, and was then in hot pursuit. This was the first cavalry fight in which the Spencer repeating carbine was used by the enemy, but notwithstanding this advantage over the old muzzle loading gun, they were badly beaten, having been driven upon their infantry, and engaged from early dawn until night put an end to the conflict. The loss of the First Maryland was severe, as they were engaged almost continually during the fight, both mounted and on foot. The enemy acknowledged a loss of one thousand men in killed and wounded. On the day after the fight at Morton’s Ford, the cavalry corps crossed the Rappahannock at Warrenton Springs, and moved down the Warrenton and Alexandria pike, and breaking into several columns, marched by different but nearly parallel roads in the direction of Centreville. Fitz Lee’s division moved towards Catlett’s Station, on the Orange and Alexandria railroad. At a small place on Cedar creek, called Aubren, Lomax’s brigade (the reader will bear in mind that the First Maryland was attached to this brigade) made a dash at the enemy’s wagon train then passing, but finding it protected by a corps of his infantry, Lomax withdrew. This affair, though brief and unsatisfactory, gave occasion for a complimentary order from General Lomax to the First Maryland, which was well deserved, for by their gallant bearing, they materially assisted in extricating that General from a most perilous position. By this time Meade had divined the object of General Lee’s movement, and his whole army was in retreat towards Washington, in order to prevent that General from gaining his rear. During this retreat, the cavalry made several attacks upon his flank, in all of which the Maryland cavalry were actively engaged. But little was effected, however, owing to the careful and compact order in which the enemy retired. Finding his prey had escaped him, General Lee fell back to the line of the Rapidan, leaving the cavalry to guard his rear, which also fell back slowly—Hampton by the Warrenton pike, and Fitz Lee by the Orange and Alexandria railroad, the two running parallel.