By chance, Magruder had started a large part of his force toward Hampton to launch a surprise attack of his own on the Union forces.Hotchkiss, 1899, pp. 137–138The Union Army: Cyclopedia of battles, 1908. p. 121 After hearing the gunfire and being alerted by an elderly local lady that a Union force was only a few hundred yards down the road, Magruder hurried his men back to his fortifications at Big Bethel. The Confederates were now fully alerted to the Union Army movement and were able to get back into position well before Peirce's men arrived at Big Bethel.
