The Enemy crosses the Potomac and concentrates at Warrenton.--
Advances upon Fredericksburg.--Its Position.--Our Forces.--The
Enemy crosses the Rappahannock.--Attack on General Jackson.--The
Main Attack.--Repulse of the Enemy on the Right.--Assaults on the
Left.--The Enemy's Columns broke and fled.--Recross the River.--
Casualties.--Position during the Winter.--The Enemy again crosses
the Rappahannock.--Also crosses at Kelly's Ford.--Converging toward
Chancellorsville, to the Rear of our Position.--Inactivity on our
Front.--Our Forces concentrate near Chancellorsville and encounter
the Enemy.--Position of the Enemy.--Attempt to turn his Right.--
The Enemy surprised and driven in the Darkness.--Jackson fired upon
and wounded.--Stuart in Command.--Battle renewed.--Fredericksburg
reoccupied.--Attack on the Heights.--Repulse of the Enemy.--The
Enemy withdraws in the Night.--Our Strength.--Losses.--Death of
General Jackson.--Another Account.
About the middle of October, 1862, General McClellan crossed the
Potomac east of the Blue Ridge and advanced southward, seizing the
passes of the mountains as he progressed. In the latter part of the
month he began to incline eastwardly from the mountains, moving in
the direction of Warrenton, about which he finally concentrated, his
cavalry being thrown forward beyond the Rappahannock in the direction
of Culpeper Court-House.
On November 15th the enemy was in motion. The indications were that
Fredericksburg was again to be occupied. Sumner's corps had marched
in the direction of Falmouth, and gunboats and transports had entered
Acquia Creek.
McLaws's and Ransom's divisions were ordered to proceed to that city;
and on the 21st it became apparent that the whole army--under
General Burnside, who had succeeded General McClellan--was
concentrating on the north side of the Rappahannock.
About November 26th Jackson was directed to advance toward
Fredericksburg, and, as some of the enemy's gunboats had appeared in
the river at Port Royal, and it was possible that an attempt might be
made to cross in that vicinity, D. H. Hill's division was stationed
near that place, and the rest of Jackson's corps so disposed as to
support Hill or Longstreet, as occasion might require. The fords of
the Rappahannock above Fredericksburg were closely guarded by our
cavalry, and the brigade of General W. H. F. Lee was stationed near
Port Royal to watch the river above and below. The interval before
the advance of the foe was employed in strengthening our lines,
extending from the river about a mile and a half above Fredericksburg
along the range of hills in the rear of the city to the Richmond
Railroad, As these hills were commanded by the opposite heights, in
possession of General Burnside's force, earthworks were constructed
on their crest at the most eligible positions for artillery. To
prevent gunboats ascending the river, a battery, protected by
epaulements, was placed on the bank four miles below the city. The
plain of Fredericksburg is so completely commanded by the Stafford
Heights, that no effectual opposition could be made to the passage of
the river without exposing our troops to the destructive fire of the
numerous batteries on the opposite heights. At the same time, the
narrowness of the Rappahannock and its winding course presented
opportunities for laying down pontoon-bridges at points secure from
the fire of our artillery. Our position was therefore selected with a
view to resist an advance after crossing, and the river was guarded
by detachments of sharpshooters to impede the laying of pontoons
until our army could be prepared for action.
Before dawn, on December 11th, General Burnside was in motion. About
2 A.M. he commenced preparations to throw two bridges over the
Rappahannock opposite Fredericksburg, and one about a mile and a
quarter below, near the month of Deep Run. From daybreak until 4
P.M., the troops, sheltered behind the houses on the river-bank,
repelled his repeated efforts to lay bridges opposite the town,
driving back his working parties and their supports with great
slaughter. At the lower point, where there was no such protection, he
was successfully resisted until nearly noon, when, being exposed to
the severe fire of the batteries on the opposite heights and a
superior force of infantry on the river-banks, our troops were
withdrawn, and about 1 P.M. the bridge was completed. Soon afterward,
one hundred and fifty pieces of artillery opened a furious fire upon
the city, causing our troops to retire from the river-bank about 4
P.M. The enemy then crossed in boats, and proceeded rapidly to lay
down the bridges. His advance into the town was bravely contested
until dark, when our troops were recalled, the necessary time for
concentration having been gained.
Brigadier-General William Barksdale, who commanded the force placed
in Fredericksburg to resist the crossing, performed that service with
his well-known gallantry. The enemy was prevented from constructing
bridges, and his attempts to cross in boats, under the cover of
artillery and musketry fire, were repelled until late in the
afternoon, when General Barksdale was ordered to retire; he had
directed Lieutenant-Colonel Fizer, commanding the Seventeenth
Mississippi Regiment, of Barksdale's brigade, to select some skillful
marksmen, and proceed to check the operations of the pioneers, who
had commenced to lay pontoons above the city. Colonel Fizer described
to me the novel and bold expedient to which he successfully resorted.
He said his sharpshooters were placed in rifle-pits, on the bank
opposite to that from which the bridge was started; that his men were
instructed to aim only at the bridge-builders. At dawn the workmen
came forward to lay the cover on the bridge; fire was opened, some
were killed, and the rest of the party driven ashore. Then the
enemy's batteries and riflemen opened a heavy fire on his position,
when his men would sit down in the rifle-pits and remain quiet until
the cannonade ceased. Probably under the supposition that our
sharpshooters had been driven off, the workmen would return; our
sharpshooters would arise and repeat the lesson lately given. This,
he said, with intervals of about an hour, during which a continuous
and heavy fire of artillery was kept up, occurred nine times, with
the same result--a repulse with severe loss; and that, for twelve
hours, every attempt to construct a bridge at that point was
defeated. Then, under orders, they withdrew.
During the night and the succeeding day the enemy crossed in large
numbers at and below the town, secured from material interruption by
a dense fog. Longstreet's corps constituted our left, with Anderson's
division resting on the river, and those of McLaws, Pickett, and Hood
extending to the right. A. P. Hill, of Jackson's corps, was posted
between Hood's right and Hamilton's Crossing, on the railroad. His
front line occupied the edge of a wood. Early and Taliaferro's
divisions constituted Jackson's second line, D. H. Hill's division
his reserve. His artillery was distributed along his line in the most
eligible positions, so as to command the open ground in front.
Shortly after 9 A.M., the partial rising of the mist disclosed a
large force moving in line of battle against Jackson. Dense masses
appeared in front of A. P. Hill, stretching far up the river in the
direction of Fredericksburg. As they advanced, Major Pellham, of
Stuart's horse-artillery, opened a rapid and well-directed enfilade
fire, which arrested their progress. Four batteries immediately
turned upon him, and, upon his withdrawal, the enemy extended his
left down the Port Royal road, and his numerous batteries opened with
vigor upon Jackson's line. Eliciting no response, his infantry moved
forward to seize the position occupied by Lieutenant-Colonel Walker.
The latter, reserving the fire of his fourteen pieces until their
line had approached within less than eight hundred yards, opened upon
it with such destructive effect as to cause it to waver and soon
retreat in confusion.
About 1 P.M., the main attack on the right began by a furious
cannonade, under cover of which three compact lines of infantry
advanced against Hill's front. They were received as before and
momentarily checked, but, soon recovering, they pressed forward,
until, coming within range of our infantry, the contest became fierce
and bloody. Archer and Lane, who occupied the edge of a wood,
repulsed those portions of the line immediately in front of them;
but, before the interval between these commands could be closed, the
assailants pressed through in overwhelming numbers and turned the
left of Archer and the right of Lane. Attacked in front and flank,
two regiments of the former and a brigade of the latter, after a
brave resistance, gave way. Archer held his line until the arrival of
reënforcements. Thomas came to the relief of Lane and repulsed the
column that had broken his line, and drove it back to the railroad.
In the mean time a large force had penetrated the wood as far as
Hill's reserve, where it was met by a fire for which it was not
unprepared. General Hill says:[68] "The advancing columns of the
enemy encountered an obstacle at the military road which they little
expected. Gregg's brigade of South Carolinians stood in the way." The
advancing Federals were allowed to approach quite near, when that
brigade poured a withering fire into the faces of Meade's men, and
Early's division from the second line swept forward, and the contest
in the woods was short and decisive. The enemy was quickly routed and
driven out with very heavy loss, and, though largely reënforced, was
pressed back and pursued to the shelter of the railroad embankment.
Here he was gallantly charged by the brigades of Hoke and Atkinson,
and driven across the plain to his batteries. The attack on Hill's
left was repulsed by the artillery on that part of the line, against
which a hot fire from twenty-four guns was directed. The repulse of
the foe on our right was decisive and the attack was not renewed, but
his batteries kept up an active fire at intervals, and sharpshooters
skirmished along the front during the afternoon.
While these events were transpiring on our right, the enemy, in
formidable numbers, made repeated and desperate assaults upon the
left of our line. About 11 A.M., having massed his troops under cover
of the houses of Fredericksburg, he moved forward in strong columns
to seize Marye's and Willis's Hills. All his batteries on the
Stafford Heights directed their fire upon the positions occupied by
our artillery, with a view to silence it, and cover the movement of
the infantry. Without replying to this furious cannonade, our
batteries poured a rapid and destructive fire into the dense lines of
the infantry as they advanced to the attack, frequently breaking
their ranks, and forcing them to retreat to the shelter of the
houses. Six times did he, notwithstanding the havoc inflicted by our
batteries, press on with great determination to within one hundred
yards of the foot of the hill; but here, encountering the deadly fire
of our infantry, his columns were broken, and fled in confusion to
the town. The last assault was made shortly before dark. This effort
met the fate of those that preceded it, and, when night closed in,
his shattered masses had disappeared in the town, leaving the field
covered with his dead and wounded.
During the night our lines were strengthened by the construction of
earthworks at exposed points, and preparations made to receive the
enemy on the next day. The 14th passed, however, without a renewal of
the attack. The hostile batteries on both sides of the river played
upon our lines at intervals, our own firing but little. On the 15th
General Burnside still retained his position, apparently ready for
battle, but the day passed as the preceding. But, on the morning of
the 16th, it was discovered that he had availed himself of the
darkness of the night and the prevalence of a violent storm of wind
and rain to recross the river. The town was immediately reoccupied,
and our positions on the river-bank resumed.
In the engagement we captured more than 900 prisoners and 9,000 stand
of arms. A large quantity of ammunition was found in Fredericksburg,
On our side 458 were killed and 3,743 wounded; total, 4,201. The loss
of the enemy was 1,152 killed, 9,101 wounded, and 3,234 missing;
total, 13,771.
General Burnside testified before the Committee on the Conduct of the
War that he "had about 100,000 men on the south side of the river,
and every single man of them was under artillery-fire, and about half
of them were at different times formed in columns of attack." [69]
Lee's then 20,000 Confederate troops were actively engaged. This
number composed about one fourth of the army under General Lee, The
returns of the Army of Northern Virginia show that on the 10th of
December, 1862, General Lee had present for duty 78,228, and, on
December 20th, 75,524 of all arms.[70]
Upon being asked what causes he assigned for the failure of his
attack, General Burnside replied to the Committee on the Conduct of
the War: "It was found impossible to get the men up to the works. The
enemy's fire was too hot for them." [71]
After the battle of Fredericksburg the Army of Northern Virginia
remained encamped on the south side of the Rappahannock until the
latter part of April, 1863. The Federal army occupied the north side
of the river opposite Fredericksburg, extending to the Potomac. Two
brigades of Anderson's division--those of Mahone and Posey--were
stationed near United States Mine or Bank Mill Ford. The cavalry was
distributed on both flanks--Fitzhugh Lee's brigade picketing the
Rappahannock above the mouth of the Rapidan and W. H. F. Lee's near
Port Royal. General Longstreet, with two divisions of his corps, was
detached for service south of James River in February, and did not
rejoin the army until after the battle of Chancellorsville. Excepting
a cavalry engagement near Kelly's Ford, on March 17th, nothing of
interest transpired during this period of inactivity. On April 14,
1863, the enemy's cavalry was concentrating on the upper Rappahannock,
but his efforts to establish himself on the south side of the river were
successfully resisted. About the 21st, small bodies of infantry appeared
at Kelly's Ford and the Rappahannock Bridge; at the same time a
demonstration was made opposite Port Royal. These, movements indicated
that the army, now commanded by Major-General Hooker, was about to
resume active operations. On the 28th, early in the morning, the enemy
crossed the river in boats near Fredericksburg, laid a pontoon-bridge,
and built another about a mile below. A considerable force crossed on
these bridges during the day, and was massed under the high banks of
the river, which afforded protection from our artillery, while the
batteries on the opposite heights completely commanded the wide plain
between our lines and the narrow river. As in the first battle at
Fredericksburg, our dispositions were made with a view to resist a
direct advance against us. But the indications were that the principal
effort would be made in some other quarter. On the 29th it was reported
that he had crossed in force near Kelly's Ford, and that a heavy column
was moving from Kelly's toward Germania Ford on the Rapidan, and another
toward Ely's Ford. The routes they were pursuing, after crossing the
Rapidan, converged near Chancellorsville, whence several roads led to
the rear of our position at Fredericksburg. General Anderson
proceeded to cover these roads on the 29th, but, learning that the
enemy had crossed the Rapidan and was approaching in strong force, he
retired early on the next morning to the intersection of the Mine and
plank roads near Tabernacle Church, and began to intrench himself.
His rear-guard, as he left Chancellorsville, was attacked by cavalry,
but, being vigorously repulsed, offered no further opposition to his
march.
The enemy on our front near Fredericksburg continued inactive, and it
was now apparent that the main attack would be made upon our flank
and rear. It was therefore determined to leave sufficient troops to
hold our lines, and with the main body of the army to give battle to
the approaching column. Early's division of Jackson's corps and
Barksdale's brigade of McLaws's division, with part of the reserve
artillery under General Pendleton, were intrusted with the defense of
our position at Fredericksburg, and at midnight on the 30th General
McLaws marched with the rest of his command toward Chancellorsville.
General Jackson followed at dawn next morning with the remaining
divisions of his corps. He reached the position occupied by General
Anderson at 8 A.M., and immediately began to make preparations to
advance. At 11 A.M. the troops moved forward on the plank and old
turnpike roads. The enemy was soon encountered on both roads, and
heavy skirmishing with infantry and artillery ensued, our troops
pressing steadily forward. A strong attack upon McLaws was repulsed
with spirit by Semmes's brigade; and General Wright, by direction of
General Anderson, diverging to the left of the plank-road, marched by
way of the unfinished railroad from Fredericksburg to Gordonsville
and turned the Federal right. His whole line thereupon retreated
rapidly, vigorously pursued by our troops until they arrived within
about one mile of Chancellorsville. Here the enemy had assumed a
position of great natural strength, surrounded on all sides by a
dense forest filled with a tangled undergrowth, in the midst of which
breastworks of logs had been constructed with trees felled in front
so as to form an almost impenetrable abatis. His artillery swept the
few narrow roads by which his position could be approached from the
front, and commanded the adjacent woods. The left of his line
extended from Chancellorsville toward the Rappahannock, covering the
Bank Mill Ford, where he communicated with the north bank of the
river by a pontoon-bridge. His right stretched westward along the
Germania Ford road more than two miles. Darkness was approaching
before the strength and extent of his line could be ascertained; and,
as the nature of the country rendered it hazardous to attack by
night, our troops were halted and formed in line of battle in front
of Chancellorsville at right angles to the plank-road, extending on
the right to the Mine road, and to the left in the direction of the
"Furnace."
It was evident that a direct attack by us would be attended with
great difficulty and loss, in view of the strength of his position
and his superiority of numbers. It was therefore resolved to endeavor
to turn his right flank and gain his rear, leaving a force in front
to hold him in check and conceal the movement. The execution of this
plan was intrusted to Lieutenant-General Jackson with his three
divisions. The commands of Generals McLaws and Anderson, with the
exception of Wilcox's brigade which during the night had been ordered
hack to Banks's Ford, remained in front of the enemy. Early on the
morning of the 2d General Jackson marched by the Furnace and Brock
roads, his movement being effectually covered by Fitzhugh Lee's
cavalry under General Stuart in person. As the rear of his train was
passing the furnace a large force of the enemy advanced from
Chancellorsville and attempted its capture, but this advance was
arrested. After a long and fatiguing march General Jackson's leading
division under General Rodes reached the old turnpike about three
miles in rear of Chancellorsville at 4 P.M. As the different
divisions arrived, they were formed at right angles to the road--
Rodes's in front, Trimble's, under Brigadier-General Colston, in the
second, and A. P, Hill's in the third line. At 6 P.M. the advance was
ordered. The enemy was taken by surprise, and fled after a brief
resistance. General Rodes's men pushed forward with great vigor and
enthusiasm, followed closely by the second and third lines. Position
after position was carried, the guns captured, and every effort of
the foe to rally defeated by the impetuous rush of our troops. In the
ardor of pursuit through the thick and tangled woods, the first and
second lines at last became mingled and moved on together as one. The
fugitives made a stand at a line of breastworks across the road, but
the troops of Rodes and Colston dashed over the intrenchments
together, and the flight and pursuit were resumed and continued until
our advance was arrested by the abatis in front of the line of works
near the central position at Chancellorsville. It was now dark, and
General Jackson ordered the third line under General Hill to advance
to the front and relieve the troops of Rodes and Colston, who were
completely blended and in such disorder from their advance through
intricate woods and over broken ground that it was necessary to
reform them. As Hill's men moved forward, General Jackson, with his
staff and escort, returning from the extreme front, met the
skirmishers advancing, and in the obscurity of the night were
mistaken for the enemy and fired upon. Captain Boswell, chief
engineer of the corps, and several others, were killed and a number
wounded, among whom was General Jackson, who was borne from the
field. The command devolved upon Major-General Hill, whose division
under General Heath was advanced to the line of intrenchments which
had been reached by Rodes and Colston. A furious fire of artillery
was opened upon them, under cover of which infantry advanced to the
attack, but were handsomely repulsed. General Hill was soon afterward
disabled, and the command was turned over to General Stuart. He
immediately proceeded to reconnoiter the ground and make himself
acquainted with the disposition of the troops. The darkness of the
night and the difficulty of moving through the woods and undergrowth
rendered it advisable to defer further operations until morning, and
the troops rested on their arms in line of battle.
As soon as the sound of cannon gave notice of Jackson's attack on the
enemy's right, the troops in front began to press strongly on the
left to prevent reënforcements being sent to the point assailed. They
advanced up to the intrenchments, while several batteries played with
good effect until prevented by the increasing darkness.
Early on the morning of May 3d General Stuart renewed the attack upon
General Hooker, who had strengthened his right wing during the night
with additional breastworks, while a large number of guns, protected
by intrenchments, were posted so as to sweep the woods through which
our troops had to advance. Hill's division was in front, with Colston
in the second line, and Rodes in the third. The second and third
lines soon advanced to the support of the first, and the whole became
hotly engaged. The breastworks at which the attack was suspended on
the preceding evening were carried by assault, under a terrible fire
of musketry and artillery. In rear of these breastworks was a
barricade, from which the enemy was quickly driven. The troops on the
left of the plank-road, pressing through the woods, attacked and
broke the next line, while those on the right bravely assailed the
extensive earthworks behind which General Hooker's artillery was
posted. Three times were these works carried, and as often were the
brave assailants compelled to abandon them--twice by the retirement
of the troops on their left, who fell back after a gallant struggle
with superior numbers, and once by a movement of the enemy on their
right caused by the advance of General Anderson. The left, being
reënforced, finally succeeded in driving back the enemy, and the
artillery under Lieutenant-Colonels Carter and Jones, being thrown
forward to occupy favorable positions secured by the advance of the
infantry, began to play with great precision and effect. Anderson, in
the mean time, pressed gallantly forward directly upon Chancellorsville,
his right resting upon the plank-road and his left extending around the
furnace, while McLaws made a strong demonstration to the right of the
road. As the troops advancing upon the enemy's front and right converged
upon his central position, Anderson effected a junction with Jackson's
corps, and the whole line pressed irresistibly. General Hooker's army
was driven from all its fortified positions with heavy loss in killed,
wounded, and prisoners, and retreated toward the Rappahannock. By 10 A.M.
we were in full possession of the field. The troops, having become
somewhat scattered by the difficulties of the ground and the ardor of
the contest, were immediately reformed, preparatory to renewing the
attack. The enemy had withdrawn to a strong position nearer to the
Rappahannock, which he had fortified. His superiority of numbers, the
unfavorable nature of the ground, which was densely wooded, and the
condition of our troops, after the arduous and sanguinary conflict in
which they had been engaged, rendered great caution necessary. Our
operations were just completed, when further movements were arrested
by intelligence received from Fredericksburg.
Before dawn, on the morning of the 3d, it was known that the enemy
had occupied Fredericksburg in large force, and laid down a bridge at
the town. He made a demonstration against the extreme right of the
force left to hold our lines, which was easily repulsed by General
Early. Soon afterward a column moved from Fredericksburg along the
river-banks, as if to gain the heights on the extreme left which
commanded those immediately in rear of the town. This attempt was
foiled. Very soon the enemy advanced in large force against Marye's,
and the hills to the right and left of it. Two assaults were
gallantly repulsed. After the second, a flag of truce was sent from
the town to obtain permission to provide for the wounded. Three heavy
lines advanced immediately upon the return of the flag and renewed
the attack. They were bravely repulsed on the right and left, but the
small force at the foot of Marye's Hill, overpowered by more than ten
times their numbers, was captured after an heroic resistance and the
hill carried. The success of the enemy enabled him to threaten our
communications by moving down the Telegraph road, or to come upon our
rear at Chancellorsville by the plank-road. He began to advance on
the plank-road, his progress being gallantly disputed by the brigade
of General Wilcox, who fell back slowly until he reached Salem Church
on the plank-road, about five miles from Fredericksburg.
In this state of affairs in our rear, General Lee led General McLaws
with his three brigades to reënforce General Wilcox. He arrived at
Salem Church early in the afternoon, where he found General Wilcox in
line of battle, with a large force of the enemy--consisting, as was
reported, of one army corps and part of another--in his front. The
enemy's artillery played vigorously upon our position for some time,
when his infantry advanced in three strong lines, the attack being
directed mainly against General Wilcox, but partially involving the
brigades on his left. The assault was met with the utmost firmness,
and after a fierce struggle the first line was repulsed with great
slaughter. The second then came forward, but immediately broke under
the close and deadly fire which it encountered, and the whole mass
fled in confusion to the rear. They were pursued by the brigades of
Wilcox and Semmes, which advanced nearly a mile, when they were
halted to reform in the presence of the hostile reserve, which now
appeared in large force. It being quite dark, General Wilcox deemed
it imprudent to push the attack with his small numbers, and retired
to his original position, the enemy making no attempt to follow. The
next morning General Early advanced along the Telegraph road, and
recaptured Marye's and the adjacent hills without difficulty, thus
gaining the rear of the enemy's left. In the mean time General Hooker
had so strengthened his position near Chancellorsville, that it was
deemed inexpedient to assail it with less than our whole force, which
had been reduced by the detachment led to Fredericksburg to relieve
us from the danger that menaced our rear.
It has been heretofore stated that General Longstreet had been sent
with two divisions of Lee's array to coöperate with General French on
the south side of the James River, in the capture of Suffolk, the
occupation of which by the enemy interrupted our collection of
supplies in the eastern counties of North Carolina and Virginia. When
the advance of Hooker threatened General Lee's front, instructions
were sent to General Longstreet to hasten his return to the army with
the large force detached with him. These instructions were repeated
with urgent insistence, yet his movements were so delayed that,
though the battle of Chancellorsville did not occur until many days
after he was expected to join, his force was absent when it occurred.
Had he rejoined his command in due time, Lee need not have diminished
his force in front of Hooker, so as to delay the renewal of the
attack and force him to a precipitate retreat, involving the loss of
his artillery and trains. It was accordingly resolved still further
to reënforce the troops in front, in order, if possible, to drive
Hooker across the Rappahannock. Some delay occurred in getting the
troops into position, owing to the broken and irregular nature of the
ground, and the difficulty of ascertaining the disposition of the
opposing forces. The attack did not begin until 6 P.M., when the
enemy's troops were rapidly driven across the plank-road in the
direction of the Rappahannock. The speedy approach of darkness
prevented General McLaws from perceiving the success of the attack,
until the foe began to recross the river a short distance below
Banks's Ford, where he had laid one of his pontoon-bridges. His right
brigades advanced through the woods in the direction of the firing,
but the retreat was so rapid that they could only join in the
pursuit. A dense fog settled over the field, increasing the obscurity
and rendering great caution necessary to avoid collision between our
own troops. Their movements were consequently slow. The next morning
it was found that the enemy had made good his escape and removed his
bridges. Fredericksburg was evacuated, and our rear no longer
threatened. But, as General Hooker had it in his power to recross, it
was deemed best to leave a force to hold our lines as before. McLaws
and Anderson being directed to return to Chancellorsville, they
reached their destination during the afternoon, in the midst of a
violent storm, which continued throughout the night and most of the
following day. Preparations were made to assail the enemy's works at
daylight on the 6th, but, on advancing our skirmishers, it was found
that, under cover of the storm and darkness of the night, he had
retreated over the river. A detachment was left to guard the
battle-field, while the wounded were removed and the captured
property collected. The rest of the army returned to its former
position.
The loss of the enemy, according to his own statement, was 1,512
killed and 9,518 wounded; total, 11,030. His dead and a large number
of wounded were left on the field. About 5,000 prisoners, exclusive
of the wounded, were taken, and 13 pieces of artillery, 19,500 stand
of arms, 17 colors, and a large quantity of ammunition fell into our
hands.
Our loss was much less in killed and wounded than that of the enemy,
but of the number was one, a host in himself, Lieutenant-General
Jackson, who was wounded, and died on May 10th. Of this great
captain, General Lee, in his anguish at his death, justly said, "I
have lost my right arm." As an executive officer he had no superior,
and war has seldom shown an equal. Too devoted to the cause he served
to have any personal motive, he shared the toils, privations, and
dangers of his troops when in chief command; and in subordinate
position his aim was to understand the purpose of his commander and
faithfully to promote its success. He was the complement of Lee;
united, they had achieved such results that the public felt secure
under their shield. To us his place was never filled.
The official return of the Army of Northern Virginia, on March 31,
1863, shows as present for duty 57,112, of which 6,509 were cavalry
and 1,621 reserve artillery. On May 20th, two weeks after the battle,
and when Pickett's and Hood's divisions had rejoined the army, the
total infantry force numbered but 55,261 effective men, from which,
if the strength of Hood's and Pickett's divisions is deducted, there
would remain 41,358 as the strength of the commands that participated
in the battles of Chancellorsville.[72]
The Army of the Potomac numbered 120,000 men, infantry and artillery,
with a body of 12,000 well-equipped cavalry, and an artillery force
of four hundred guns.[73]
A brief and forcible account of this battle is given by Taylor:[74]
"A formidable force under General Sedgwick was thrown across the
river below Fredericksburg, and made demonstrations of an intention
to assail the Confederate front. Meanwhile, with great celerity and
secrecy, General Hooker, with the bulk of his array, crossed at the
upper fords, and, in an able manner and wonderfully short time, had
concentrated four of his seven army corps, numbering fifty-six
thousand men, at Chancellorsville, about ten miles west of
Fredericksburg. His purpose was now fully developed to General Lee,
who, instead of awaiting its further prosecution, immediately
determined on the movement the least expected by his opponent. He
neither proceeded to make strong his left against an attack from the
direction of Chancellorsville nor did he move southward so as to put
his army between that of General Hooker and the Confederate capital,
but, leaving General Early, with about nine thousand men, to take
care of General Sedgwick, he moved with the remainder of his army,
numbering forty-eight thousand men, toward Chancellorsville. As soon
as the advance of the enemy was encountered, it was attacked with
vigor, and very soon the Federal army was on the defensive in its
apparently impregnable position. It was not the part of wisdom to
attempt to storm this stronghold; but Sedgwick would certainly soon
be at work in the rear, and Early, with his inadequate force, could
not do more than delay and harass him. It was, therefore,
imperatively necessary to strike--to strike boldly, effectively, and
at once. There could be no delay. Meanwhile, two more army corps had
joined General Hooker, who now had about Chancellorsville ninety-one
thousand men--six corps except one division of the Second Corps
(Conch's), which had been left with Sedgwick at Fredericksburg. It
was a critical position for the Confederate commander, but his
confidence in his trusted lieutenant and brave men was such that he
did not long hesitate. Encouraged by the counsel and confidence of
General Jackson, he determined to still further divide his army; and,
while he, with the divisions of Anderson and McLaws, less than
fourteen thousand men, should hold the enemy in his front, he would
hurl Jackson upon his flank and rear, and crush and crumble him as
between the upper and nether millstone. The very boldness of the
movement contributed much to insure its success.
"The flank movement of Jackson's wing was attended with extraordinary
success. On the afternoon of the 2d of May, he struck such a blow to
the enemy on their extreme right as to cause dismay and
demoralization to their entire army; this advantage was promptly and
vigorously followed up the next day, when Generals Lee and Stuart
(the latter then in command of Jackson's wing) joined elbows; and,
after most heroic and determined effort, their now united forces
finally succeeded in storming and capturing the works of the enemy.
"Meantime Sedgwick had forced Early out of the heights at
Fredericksburg, and had advanced toward Chancellorsville, thus
threatening the Confederate rear. General Lee, having defeated the
greater force and driven it from its stronghold, now gathered up a
few of the most available of his victorious brigades and turned upon
the lesser. On May 3d Sedgwick's force was encountered near Salem
Church, and its further progress checked by General McLaws, with the
five brigades detached by General Lee for this service, including
Wilcox's, which had been stationed at Banks's Ford. On the next day.
General Anderson was sent to reënforce McLaws with three additional
brigades. Meanwhile, General Early had connected with these troops,
and in the afternoon, so soon as dispositions could be made for
attack, Sedgwick's lines were promptly assailed and broken, the main
assault being made on the enemy's left by Early's troops. The
situation was now a critical one for the Federal lieutenant. Darkness
came to his rescue, and on the night of the 4th be crossed to the
north side of the river.
"On the 5th General Lee concentrated for another assault on the new
line taken up by General Hooker; but on the morning of the 6th it was
ascertained that the enemy, in General Lee's language, 'had sought
safety beyond the Rappahannock,' and the river flowed again between
the hostile hosts."
[Footnote 68: "Reports of the Army of Northern Virginia," vol. ii, p. 463.]
[Footnote 69: "Report of Committee on the Conduct of the War," Part I,
p. 656.]
[Footnote 70: Taylor's "Four year with General Lee."]
[Footnote 71: "Report of Committee on the Conduct of the War," Part I,
p. 656.]
[Footnote 72: Taylor's "Four Years with General Lee."]
[Footnote 73: Swinton's "Army of the Potomac," p. 269.]
[Footnote 74: "Four Years with General Lee."]