The first two Union divisions arrived on the afternoon of September 15 and the bulk of the remainder of the army late that evening.

Despite outnumbering the Union division Huger made no further attempts to reach Glendale.

Eventually, with reinforcements arriving to plug a gap between Williams and the next Union division to his right, the Confederates were beaten back.

The two Union divisions then withdrew to Stevens Gap.

Breckinridge drove the first Union division at the river in a suicidal charge, but was bloodied once he attacked the main line.

A.P. Hill sent three brigades to meet the advancing Union divisions.

After two hours of desperate fighting, four Union divisions had failed in the mission Burnside had originally assigned to one.

The two Union divisions floundered in confusion as they frantically attempted to reorient themselves through the heavy thickets of underbrush.

McCausland was able to rally his brigade and launched another attack, but was unable to break the Union division.

But Ashby's information was incorrect; actually, an entire Union division was still station in the town.