Second Battle of Auburn

Second Battle of Auburn. Stuart and Coffee Hill. , In October 1863, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia pushed Union Gen. George G. Meade's Army of the Potomac back toward the fortifications around Centreville. Meade’s army marched along several roads, one of which brought two corps through the village of Auburn. Lee's infantry marched near Warrenton while he sent Gen. J.E.B. Stuart's cavalry ahead to search for the Federal wagon train., On October 13, as Union III Corps elements passed here, Stuart led his men back toward Lee's army, having located the Federal wagon train. After skirmishing with the III Corps, Stuart was alarmed to find his path to safety blocked at Auburn and decided to conceal his men in a nearby ravine until morning. He slipped messengers through the lines to describe his predicament to Lee, who ordered infantry under Gen. Richard S. Ewell to Auburn to help., Union Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren's II Corps bivouacked for the night across Cedar Run and boiled coffee for breakfast near Stuart, Stuart's horse artillery shelled them on their hill (henceforth called Coffee Hill) to cover the breakout as Ewell struck from the west. Stuart sent Col. Thomas Ruffin's 1st North Carolina Cavalry against the 125th and 126th New York Infantry regiments, which easily repulsed the Confederate assault and mortally wounded and captured Ruffin. Warren, attacked from both sides, hastened his march away as Stuart also withdrew. Warren and his men found themselves in another fight later that day at Bristoe Station.