“Colonel Williams C. Wickham, with the 1st, 4th, and 5th Virginia Cavalry, the remaining regiments of the brigade, had moved from Piedmont through Middleburg, and was about to place his men in camp at Dover Mills, near Aldie.

“The 5th regiment, Col.  Thomas L. Rosser, which arrived some little time after the 1st and 4th, was directed by Colonel Wickham to pass beyond Dover Mills, and select a camp nearer Aldie.  In so doing Colonel Rosser encountered the enemy, who was rapidly driving back the pickets established by Colonel Munford.

“The force of the enemy making this attack was the 2d cavalry division, commanded by Gen. D.M.  Gregg, and accompanied by Major-General Pleasonton.  General Kilpatrick’s brigade, consisting of the 2d New York, 1st Massachusetts, 6th Ohio, and 4th New York regiments, supported by the 1st Maine Cavalry from Col.  J.J.  Gregg’s brigade, and by Randol’s battery, appears to have done all the fighting.  The two other brigades of General Gregg’s division were closed up within supporting distance.

[Footnote 37:  Life and Campaigns of Maj.-Gen. J. E. B. Stuart.]

“The arrival of Rosser’s regiment was most opportune.  By an immediate sabre charge he drove back the enemy’s advance upon their main body in the town of Aldie.  Having relieved the pressure on the pickets, Rosser stationed his sharpshooters, under Capt.  R.B.  Boston, on the right of the Snickersville road, where a number of haystacks afforded some protection, and held the remainder of his small regiment ready for their support.  Colonel Munford, in the meantime, arrived in person and stationed Lieut.  William Walton, of the 2d Virginia Cavalry, with the reserve picket, fifteen men, behind a stone wall on the left of the Snickersville road with orders to hold his position against any odds until the 2d and 3d regiments could come to his assistance.  In the meantime, and while Colonel Wickham was stationing the 1st and 4th regiments and Breathed’s battery to dispute any advance on the Middleburg road, Rosser, single-handed, had met and repulsed two charges which were made upon Captain Boston’s squadron; and believing that he could be maintained there with advantage, had ordered Boston to hold his position at all hazards.  The result proved that this disposition was unfortunate, for during the subsequent heavy fighting Boston was so far advanced as to be beyond the reach of support and he and his squadron were captured.

“During all this time there was no force on the left of the Snickersville road, except the picket posted by Munford behind the stone wall.  Munford, therefore, moved Rosser’s regiment and the 4th Virginia Cavalry, with one gun from Breathed’s battery, so as to command this road, leaving Colonel Wickham with the rest of the guns and the 1st Virginia Cavalry on the Middleburg road.