midnight
Even those which were not engaged had been marching and countermarching . The enemy had many more than we -- heavy reserves to whom panic might or might not have been communicated . These were between us and Centreville , and the night had fallen . Our cavalry was the best in the land , but cruelly small in force , and very weary by that midnight . We were scant of provisions , scant of transportation , scant of ammunition . What if the Federal reserves had not stood , but had fled with the rest , and we had in some fashion achieved the Potomac ? There were strong works at Arlington and Alexandria , lined with troops , and in easy distance were Patterson and his unused men .