In the night Morris managed to steal away, and soon rejoined the main body at Winchester.
The arrival of these reinforcements seriously embarrassed Milroy; and it will be seen hereafter that it would have been much better for all concerned if they had retreated to Harper's Ferry at once.
They acted, however, strictly in obedience to orders.
Rodes' division, after the taking of Berryville, kept on towards Martinsburg, and bivouacked at a place called Summit Point.
On the morning of the 13th Milroy had sent out a detachment under General Elliot on the Strasburg road, and another under Colonel Ely on the Front Royal road, to reconnoitre.

Eliott found no enemy, and returned.

An attempt was made to cut him off from the town, but it was repulsed.

His troops were then massed on the south side behind Mill Creek and a mill-race which ran parallel to it, and were protected by stone fences.

Colonel Ely had a brisk artillery skirmish with Ewell's advance, and then fell back to Winchester, taking post at the junction of the Front Royal and Strasburg roads.
The enemy did not attempt to cross the creek that night, but at 5 P.M.they advanced and captured a picket-post which commanded the Strasburg road, but were soon driven out.
From a prisoner captured in this skirmish Milroy learned the highly important intelligence that he was confronted by Ewell's corps and that Longstreet was rapidly approaching.
The most natural course under the circumstances would have been for him to retreat at once, but McReynolds' brigade had just arrived, exhausted by their forced march, and could go no further, without some hours' rest.