It is now six o'clock of Saturday, May 2, 1863, a lovely spring evening.
The Eleventh Corps lies quietly in position. Supper-time is at hand.
Arms are stacked on the line; and the men, some with accoutrements hung
upon the stacks, some wearing their cartridge-boxes, are mostly at the
fires cooking their rations, careless of the future, in the highest
spirits and most vigorous condition. Despite the general talk during the
entire afternoon, among officers and rank and file alike, of a possible
attack down the pike, all but a few are happily unsuspicious of the
thunder-cloud gathering on their flank. There is a general feeling that
it is too late to get up much of a fight to-day.
The breastworks are not very substantial. They are hastily run up out of
rails from the fences, logs from barns in the vicinity, and newly felled
trees. The ditch skirting the road has been deepened for this temporary
purpose. Abattis, to a fair extent, has been laid in front. But the
whole position faces to the south, and is good for naught else.
Nor were our men in those days as clever with the spade as we afterwards
became. This is clearly shown in the defences.
There is some carelessness apparent. Ambulances are close by the line.
Ammunition-wagons and the train of pack-mules are mixed up with the
regiments. Even a drove of beeves is herded in the open close by. All
these properly belong well to the rear. Officers' servants and
camp-gear are spread abroad in the vicinity of each command, rather
more comfortably ensconced than the immediate presence of the enemy may
warrant.
The ground in the vicinity is largely clearing. But dense woods cover
the approaches, except in some few directions southerly. Down the roads
no great distance can be seen; perhaps a short mile on the plank road,
not many hundred yards on the turnpike.
Little Wilderness Church, in the rear of the position, looks deserted
and out of place. Little did its worshippers on last sabbath day imagine
what a conflict would rage about its walls before they again could meet
within its peaceful precincts.
There may be some absence of vigilance on the part of the pickets and
scouts; though it is not traceable in the reports, nor do any of
the officers concerned remember such. But the advanced line is not
intrenched as Miles's line in front of Hancock has been. Less care,
rather than more carelessness, is all that can be observed on this
score.
Meanwhile Jackson has ranged his corps, with the utmost precaution and
secrecy, in three lines, at right angles to the pike, and extending
about a mile on either side. All orders are given in a low tone.
Cheering as "Old Jack" passes along is expressly prohibited.
Rodes, commanding D. H. Hill's division, leads, with Iverson's and
Rodes's brigades to the left of the road, and Doles's and Colquitt's to
the right. Rodes's orders to his brigades are to push on steadily, to
let nothing delay or retard them. Should the resistance at Talley's
Hill, which Rodes expects, render necessary the use of artillery, the
line is to check its advance until this eminence is carried. But to
press on, and let no obstacle stand in the way, is the watchword.
Two hundred yards in rear of the first line, Colston, commanding
Trimble's division, ranges his brigades, Nichols and Jones on the left,
and Colston on the right of the road; Ramseur in support.
A. P. Hill's division is not yet all up; but, as part reaches the line,
it is formed in support of Colston, the balance following in column on
the pike.
The second and third lines are ordered to re-enforce the first as
occasion requires.
Two pieces of Stuart's horse-artillery accompany the first line on the
pike.
The regiments in the centre of the line appear to have been formed in
columns with intervals, each brigade advancing in line of columns by
regiment. The troops are not preceded by any skirmishers. The line on
the wings is probably not so much massed. It is subsequently testified
by many in the Eleventh Corps, that the centre of the line appears to
advance en echiquier, the front companies of each line of columns firing
while the rear columns are advancing through the intervals.
The march through the woods up to Dowdall's clearing has not disturbed
the lines so materially as to prevent the general execution of such a
manoeuvre.
But the Confederate reports show that the regiments were all in line and
not in column. The appearance of columns was due to the fact that the
second and third lines, under Colston and A. P. Hill, were already
pressing up close in the rear of the first under Rodes, thus making
a mass nine deep. The intervals between regiments were accidental,
occasioned by the swaying of the line to and fro as it forced its way
through the underbrush.
It is perhaps no more than fair to say that whatever laxity was apparent
at this hour in the Eleventh Corps was by no means incompatible with a
readiness to give a good account of itself if an attack should be made
upon its front.