Jones' brigade was posted on the road to Beverly Ford, that of Fitz Lee* on the other side of Hazel River; that of Robertson along the Rappahannock below the railroad; that of W.H.
F.Lee on the road to Melford Ford, and that of Hampton in reserve, near Fleetwood Hill--all too far off to be readily available.

In fact, the batteries were entirely unsuspicious of danger, although they were a quarter of a mile from the nearest support and there was only a thin line of pickets between their guns and the river.
[* A familiar abbreviation for Fitz Hugh Lee, adopted in the rebel reports.] In the meantime Pleasonton's three divisions, "stiffened"-- to use one of Hooker's expressions--by two brigades of infantry, stole down to the fords and lay there during the night, quietly, and without fires, ready at the first dawn of day to spring upon their too-confident adversaries and give them a rude awakening.
Pleasonton in person remained with Buford's division--the First-- which was lying near Beverly Ford with Ames' infantry brigade.
The other two divisions, the Second, under Colonel Duffie, and the Third, under General Gregg--supported by Russell's infantry brigade, were in bivouac opposite Kelly's Ford.
As each commander is apt to overstate the enemy's force and underrate his own, it is not always easy to get at the facts.

Pleasonton claims that the rebels had about twelve thousand cavalry and twelve guns.

Major McClellan of Stuart's staff, puts the number at nine thousand three hundred and thirty-five men, on paper, and twenty guns; but states there were nearly three thousand absentees.
General Gregg estimates the Union cavalry at about nine thousand men and six batteries, but--as will be seen hereafter--a third of this force was detached toward Stevensburg, and their operations had little or no effect on the general result.

The batteries do not seem to have been brought forward in time to be of much service.
At daybreak Pleasonton's troops began to cross; Buford's division and Ames' infantry at Beverly Ford; the other two divisions, under Gregg and Duffie, with Russell's infantry at Kelly's Ford, six miles below.