Brockenborough finding it impossible to cross at that point, moved up to Hanson’s Ford, where a crossing was effected, and he then pursued his way through Orleans, Salem and Thoroughfare Gap, and reached Manassas on the 26th, having marched fifty miles in two days, with nothing for his men or horses to eat save the green corn gathered along the road. Here at Manassas, though, was found in the captured trains and sutlers’ stores all they could have desired, and for hours they revelled in the good things their new commissary had so bountifully supplied, and over Rhine wine and lobsters forgot for the time the privations of the past few days. From Manassas, Jackson moved on Centreville, but finding the enemy there in force, he retraced his steps to Manassas, closely pursued, and formed his line of battle, about sunset on the 28th, upon the ground occupied by the enemy in the battle of July, 1861. The engagement immediately commenced, and raged with great fury for some time, but the enemy was repulsed in every assault, and driven back with heavy loss. General Stephen D. Lee, who commanded the whole of Jackson’s artillery, then put the several batteries in position along the crest of a commanding hill, and there awaited the attack sure to be renewed next day. About two o’clock on the 29th heavy columns emerged from the woods in Jackson’s front, and advanced boldly to the attack, but the storm of grape and canister which tore through their ranks was more than flesh and blood could withstand, and they were driven back with dreadful slaughter. But again and again did those devoted columns reform and return to the attack with undiminished ardor, but the same terrible fire greeted them, and strewed the ground with dead and dying. But nevertheless Jackson’s situation was a most critical one. With but a handful of worn and wearied troops he was battling with ten times his numbers, which must necessarily soon wear him out and exhaust his ammunition; but as the hearts of his men were sinking within them, they were cheered by the clouds of dust that arose in the distance and heralded the approach of their great chieftain, Lee, with the veterans of Longstreet’s corps. At night the battle ceased, and the wearied troops threw themselves upon the ground to seek a little repose before the work of death and destruction should be resumed on the morrow.