Being assured that the enemy were now too strong to be attacked by the force under his command, Jackson fell back to Orange Courthouse.

There was now a few days' delay, while masses of troops were on both sides moving toward the new field of action.

McClellan marched his troops across the James Peninsula from Harrison's Landing to Yorktown, and there the greater portion were embarked in transports and taken up the Rappahannock to Aquia Creek, landed there, and marched to Fredericksburg.
Lee, instead of attacking McClellan on his march across the peninsula, determined to take his army north at once to join Jackson and attack Pope before he was joined by McClellan's army.

But Pope, although already largely re-enforced, retired hastily and took up a new position so strongly fortified that he could not be attacked.

General Stuart had come up with Lee, and was in command of all the cavalry.
"We shall see some work now," was the remark round the fires of the 7th Virginia Cavalry.