Fighting starts at Fraley Field thumb|upright=1.5|Powell found the Confederate Army near Fraley Field|alt=Map showing Union patrol finding large Confederate force at Fraley Field The Confederate Third Brigade of Hardee's Third Corps was southwest of Powell's patrol. The brigade was commanded by Brigadier General S. A. M. Wood, and he had sent forward 280 skirmishers from Major Aaron B. Hardcastle's Third Mississippi Battalion. Hardcastle kept most of his men in the southeast corner of James J. Fraley's 40-acre (16 ha) cotton field, while two sets of pickets were positioned closer to the Union camps. Around 5:00am (April 6), Confederate pickets fired at Powell's men before returning to the battalion. When Powell advanced within of Hardcastle's main force, the Confederates opened fire. The battle began with these two small forces fighting for over an hour.
Fighting starts at Fraley Field thumb|upright=1.5|Powell found the Confederate Army near Fraley Field|alt=Map showing Union patrol finding large Confederate force at Fraley Field The Confederate Third Brigade of Hardee's Third Corps was southwest of Powell's patrol. The brigade was commanded by Brigadier General S. A. M. Wood, and he had sent forward 280 skirmishers from Major Aaron B. Hardcastle's Third Mississippi Battalion. Hardcastle kept most of his men in the southeast corner of James J. Fraley's 40-acre (16 ha) cotton field, while two sets of pickets were positioned closer to the Union camps. Around 500am (April 6), Confederate pickets fired at Powell's men :before returning to the battalion. When Powell advanced within of Hardcastle's main force, the Confederates opened fire. The battle began with these two small forces fighting for over an hour.