The general joins me in a fight (5)
I believe the answer is:
melee
'a fight' is the definition.
(I have seen 'Confused fight' mean 'melee' so perhaps 'fight' could also mean 'melee')
'the general joins me' is the wordplay.
'the general' becomes 'lee' (Robert E. Lee - US revolutionary commander).
'joins' says to put letters next to each other.
'lee' put after 'me' is 'MELEE'.
'in' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for melee that I've seen before include "Confused brawl" , "Confused fight or scuffle" , "Scrap" , "A confused free-for-all" , "Fracas" .)