His loss was a terrible blow to the Confederacy, although his successor in the command of the cavalry, General Wade Hampton, was also an officer of the highest merit.
In the meantime General Butler, who had at Fortress Monroe under his command two corps of infantry, 4000 cavalry, and a fleet of gunboats and transports, was threatening Richmond from the east.

Shipping his men on board the transports he steamed up the James River, under convoy of the fleet, and landed on a neck of land known as Bermuda Hundred.

To oppose him all the troops from North Carolina had been brought up, the whole force amounting to 19,000 men, under the command of General Beauregard.
Butler, after various futile movements, was driven back again to his intrenched camp at Bermuda Hundred, where he was virtually besieged by Beauregard with 10,000 men, the rest of that general's force being sent up to re-enforce Lee.
In West Virginia, Breckenridge, with 3500 men, was called upon to hold in check Sigel, with 15,000 men.

Advancing to Staunton, Breckenridge was joined by the pupils of the military college at Lexington, 250 in number, lads of from fourteen to seventeen years of age.

He came upon Sigel on the line of march and attacked him at once.