kautz's men did not arrive until noon, however, having been delayed en route by numerous enemy pickets. they assaulted the dimmock line where it crossed the jerusalem plank road (present-day u.s. route 301), at battery 27, also known as rives's salient, with 150 militiamen, commanded by maj. fletcher h. archer, manning two artillery lunettes. kautz launched a probing attack by the 5th pennsylvania cavalry against the militiamen, then paused and ordered his men to dismount. confederate brig. gen. raleigh e. colston, who happened to be in the city without assignment at the time, brought forward a 12-pound howitzer to fire at the union cavalrymen, but found that he had no antipersonnel rounds. colston retreated under pressure as the 5th pennsylvania cavalry, the 1st district of columbia cavalry, and the 11th pennsylvania cavalry began to flank him.