At the earliest dawn, while Rodes was issuing rations to his men, who
had been many hours without food, the indefatigable Stuart gave orders
for a slight advance of his right, to reduce the angle of refusal or
Archer and McGowan; for at this moment it was ascertained that Sickles
was being withdrawn from Hazel Grove. By some error, Stuart's order was
interpreted as a command for the anticipated general attack, and the
advancing columns soon provoked the fire of the expectant Federals.
Seeing that the men were ready for their work, rations or no rations,
Stuart wisely refrained from recalling them; and Berry and Williams
betimes felt the shock of the strong line of A. P. Hill, which Alexander
seconded by opening with his artillery in full action. The Confederates
forged ahead with the watchword, "Charge, and remember Jackson!" And
this appeal was one to nerve all hearts to the desperate task before
them.
Hotchkiss thus describes the field of operations of this morning: "The
first line of works occupied by the Federal troops had been thrown up in
the night, and was very formidable. The engineer division of the
Union Army consisted of near four thousand men, and these had been
unremittingly engaged in its construction. A vast number of trees had
been felled, and formed into a heavy rampart, all approach to which was
rendered extremely difficult by an abattis of limbs and brushwood. On
the south side of the road this line is situated upon a ridge, on the
Chancellorsville side of Lewis Creek, one of the numerous head-waters of
the Mattapony. It is intersected by the smaller branches of this creek,
and the ravines in which they run. These ravines extended behind
the Federal lines, almost to the plank road, and afforded excellent
positions for successive stands. In the morning, Sickles extended to the
west of the creek, and held the elevated plateau at Hazel Grove. This
is the most commanding point, except Fairview, in the vicinity. On the
north of the plank road, the ground is more level. The line thus crossed
several small branches, the origin of some small tributaries of the
Rappahannock, but the ravines on that side are not considerable. From
the ridge occupied by the first line, the ground falls away to the
east, until the valley of another branch of Lewis Creek is reached.
The depression here is considerable, and gives an abrupt slope to the
Fairview hill, which rises directly from it on the eastern side. From
the first line of the creek, extends on both sides of the road a
dense forest. From the latter point to Fairview heights, and to
Chancellorsville, on the south side of the road, the country is cleared.
This clearing is bounded on the south by a drain, which runs from near
Chancellorsville, between Fairview and the works occupied by Slocum. It
extends some distance on the north of the road.
"Behind the front line of works, there were some defences in the valley
near the creek, not constituting a connecting line, however; and these
in turn were succeeded by the second main line of works, which covered
the Fairview heights, and were more strongly constructed even than the
first."
It was at just the time of Rodes's assault, that Birney had received
orders to withdraw from his cardinal position at the angle made by Geary
and Williams, and to form as a second and third line near the plank
road, a duty there was an abundance of troops to fill. He retired, and
ployed into brigade columns by regiments, immediately beyond the crest
of Fairview hill. Here, placing batteries in position, he shelled the
field from which he had just withdrawn. This crest, however, Archer
speedily occupied; and on its summit Stuart, with better foresight than
Hooker, posted some thirty guns under Walker, which enfiladed our lines
with murderous effect during the remainder of the combat of Sunday, and
contributed largely to our defeat.
The attack of the Confederates was made, "as Jackson usually did, in
heavy columns" (Sickles), and was vigorous and effective. According to
their own accounts, the onset was met with equal cheerful gallantry.
While Archer occupied Hazel Grove, McGowan and Lane assaulted the works
held by Williams, carried them with an impetuous rush, and pushed our
troops well back. This rapid success was largely owing to a serious
breach made in the Union line by the decampment of the Third Maryland
Volunteers, a full regiment of Knipe's brigade, which held the right of
Williams's division on the plank road. The regiment was composed of new
men, no match for Jackson's veterans. They stood as well as raw troops
can, in the face of such an onslaught; but after a loss of about a
hundred men, they yielded ground, and were too green to rally. Into the
gap thus made, quickly poured a stream of Lane's men, thus taking
both Berry's and Williams's lines in reverse. The Second Brigade was
compelled to change front to meet this new attack: Mott was instantly
thrown forward to fill the interval; and after a desperate hand-to-hand
struggle he regained the lost ground, and captured eight stands of
colors and about a thousand prisoners. This separated Archer from
the main line, and took in their turn McGowan and Lane in reverse,
precipitately driving them back, and enabling our columns to regain the
ground lost by the fierceness of the Confederate inroad. This sally in
reverse likewise carried back Lane and Heth, the entire corps having
suffered severely from the excellent service of the Federal guns. But
the effect on Williams's division of this alternating gain and loss,
had been to cause it to waver; while having for an instant captured our
works, was encouragement to our foes.
On the north of the road, Pender and Thomas had at first won equal
fortune against Berry's works, but their success had been equally
short-lived. For the falling-back of Jackson's right, and the cheering
of the Union line as its fire advanced in hot pursuit, gave at the same
moment notice to the Confederate left that it was compromised, and
to our own brave boys the news of their comrades' fortune. Pender and
Thomas were slowly but surely forced back, under a withering fire,
beyond the breastworks they had won. A second time did these veterans
rally for the charge, and a second time did they penetrate a part of
our defences; only, however, to be taken in flank again by Berry's right
brigade, and tumbled back to their starting-point. But their onset
had shown so great determination, that Ward was despatched to sustain
Berry's right, lest he should be eventually over-matched.
The Federal line on the north of the plank road had thus doggedly
resisted the most determined attacks of Jackson's men, and had lost
no ground. And so hard pressed indeed was Pender by gallant Berry's
legions, that Colquitt's brigade was sent to his relief. Pender's
men had early expended all their ammunition, word whereof was sent to
Stuart, but merely to evoke renewal of that stubborn officer's orders to
hold their ground with the bayonet, and at all hazards. And such orders
as these were wont to be obeyed by these hardened warriors.
The three Confederate lines of attack had soon, as on yesternight,
become one, as each pushed forward to sustain the other. The enemy
"pressed forward in crowds rather than in any regular formation"
(Sickles); but the momentum of these splendid troops was well-nigh
irresistible. Nichols's brigade of Trimble's division, and Iverson's and
Rodes's of Rodes's division, pressed forward to sustain the first line
on the north of the road, and repel the flank attack, constantly renewed
by Berry. Another advance of the entire line was ordered. Rodes led his
old brigade in person. The Confederates seemed determined, for Jackson's
sake, to carry and hold the works which they had twice gained, and out
of which they had been twice driven; for, with "Old Jack" at their head,
they had never shown a sterner front.
Now came the most grievous loss of this morning's conflict. Gallant
Berry, the life of his division, always in the hottest of the fire,
reckless of safety, had fallen mortally wounded, before Ward's brigade
could reach his line. Gen. Revere assumed command, and, almost before
the renewal of the Confederate attack, "heedless of their murmurs," says
Sickles's report, "shamefully led to the rear the whole of the Second
Brigade, and portions of two others, thus subjecting these proud
soldiers, for the first time, to the humiliation of being marched to
the rear while their comrades were under fire. Gen. Revere was promptly
recalled with his troops, and at once relieved of command." Revere
certainly gives no satisfactory explanation of his conduct; but he
appears to have marched over to the vicinity of French of the Second
Corps, upon the White House clearing, and reported to him with a large
portion of his troops. Revere was subsequently courtmartialled for
this misbehavior, and was sentenced to dismissal; but the sentence was
revoked by the President, and he was allowed to resign.
Col. Stevens was speedily put in command in Revere's stead; but he, too,
soon fell, leaving the gallant division without a leader, nearly half
of its number off the field, and the remainder decimated by the bloody
contest of the past four hours. Moreover, Gen. Hays, whose brigade of
French's division had been detached in support of Berry, where it had
done most gallant work, was at the same time wounded and captured by the
enemy.
It was near eight o'clock. The artillery was quite out of ammunition,
except canister, which could not be used with safety over the heads of
our troops. Our outer lines of breastworks had been captured, and
were held by the enemy. So much as was left of Berry's division was in
absolute need of re-forming. Its supports were in equally bad plight.
The death of Berry, and the present location of our lines in the low
ground back of the crest just lost, where the undergrowth was so tangled
and the bottom so marshy, that Ward, when he marched to Berry's relief,
had failed to find him, obliged the Federals to fall back to the
Fairview heights, and form a new line at the western edge of the
Chancellor clearing, where the artillery had been so ably sustaining
the struggle now steadily in progress since daylight. Sickles himself
supervised the withdrawal of the line, and its being deployed on its new
position.
The receding of the right of the line also necessitated the falling-back
of Williams. The latter officer had, moreover, been for some time quite
short of ammunition; and though Graham had filled the place of a part
of his line, and had held it for nearly two hours, repeatedly using the
bayonet, Williams was obliged to give way before Stuart's last assault.
But Graham was not the man readily to accept defeat; and, as Williams's
line melted away, he found himself isolated, and in great danger of
being surrounded. Gen. Birney fortunately became aware of the danger
before it was too late; and, hastily gathering a portion of Hayman's
brigade, he gallantly led them to the charge in person; and, under cover
of this opportune diversion, Graham contrived to withdraw in good order,
holding McGowan severely in check.
The Union troops now establish their second line near Fairview. The
Confederates' progress is arrested for the nonce. It is somewhat
after eight A.M. A lull, premonitory only of a still fiercer tempest,
supervenes.
But the lull is of short duration. Re-forming their ranks as well as may
be on the south of the road, the Confederates again assault the Union
second line, on the crest at Fairview. But the height is not readily
carried. The slope is wooded, and affords good cover for an assault.
But the artillery on the summit can now use its canister; and the Union
troops have been rallied and re-formed in good order. The onset is met
and driven back, amid the cheers of the victorious Federals.
Nor are Stuart's men easily discouraged. Failure only seems to
invigorate these intrepid legions to fresh endeavors. Colston's and
Jones's brigades, with Paxton's, Ramseur's, and Doles' of the third
line, have re-enforced the first, and passed it, and now attack Williams
with redoubled fury in his Fairview breastworks, while Birney sustains
him with his last man and cartridge. The Confederate troops take
all advantage possible of the numerous ravines in our front; but the
batteries at Fairview pour a heavy and destructive fire of shell and
case into their columns as they press on. Every inch of ground is
contested by our divisions, which hold their footing at Fairview with
unflinching tenacity.
Meanwhile Doles, moving under cover of a hill which protects him from
the Federal batteries, and up a little branch coming from the rear of
Fairview, takes in reverse the left of Williams's line, which has become
somewhat separated from Geary, (whose position is thus fast
becoming untenable,) moves up, and deploys upon the open ground at
Chancellorsville. But he finds great difficulty in maintaining his
footing, and would have at once been driven back, when Paxton's
(old Stonewall) brigade comes up to his support on the double-quick.
Jackson's spirit for a while seems to carry all before it; the charge of
these two brigades against our batteries fairly bristles with audacity;
but our guns are too well served, and the gallant lines are once again
decimated and hustled back to the foot of the crest.
The seizure of Hazel Grove, from which Sickles had retired, had now
begun to tell against us. It had enabled the Confederates not only to
form the necessary junction of their hitherto separated wings, but
to enfilade our lines in both directions. The artillery under Walker,
Carter, Pegram, and Jones, was admirably served, and much better posted
than our own guns at Fairview. For this height absolutely commanded
the angle made by the lines of Geary and Williams, and every shot went
crashing through heavy masses of troops. Our severest losses during this
day from artillery-fire emanated from this source, not to speak of the
grievous effect upon the morale of our men from the enfilading missiles.
About eight A.M., French, one of whose brigades, (Hays's,) had been
detached in support of Berry, and who was in the rifle-pits on the
Ely's Ford road near White House, facing east, perceiving how hotly the
conflict was raging in his rear, on the right of the Third Corps line,
and having no enemy in his own front, assumed the responsibility of
placing four regiments of Carroll's brigade in line on the clearing,
facing substantially west, and formed his Third Brigade on their right,
supporting the left batteries of the Fifth Corps. This was a complete
about-face.
Soon after taking up this position, Hooker ordered him forward into the
woods, to hold Colquitt and Thomas in check, who were advancing beyond
the right of Sickles's position at Fairview, and compromising the
withdrawal to the new lines which was already determined upon. Says
French: "In a moment the order was given. The men divested themselves
of all but their fighting equipment, and the battalions marched in line
across the plain with a steady pace, receiving at the verge of the woods
the enemy's fire. It was returned with great effect, followed up by an
impetuous charge.... The enemy, at first panic-stricken by the sudden
attack on his flank, broke to the right in masses, leaving in our hands
several hundred prisoners, and abandoning a regiment of one of our corps
in the same situation."
But French had not driven back his antagonist to any considerable
distance before himself was outflanked on his right by a diversion of
Pender's. To meet this new phase of the combat, he despatched an aide to
Couch for re-enforcements; and soon Tyler's brigade appeared, and went
in on his right. This fight of French and Tyler effectually repelled
the danger menacing the White House clearing. It was, however, a small
affair compared to the heavy fighting in front of Fairview. And, the
yielding of Chancellorsville to the enemy about eleven A.M. having
rendered untenable the position of these brigades, they were gradually
withdrawn somewhat before noon.
Still Jackson's lines, the three now one confused mass, but with
unwavering purpose, returned again and again to the assault. Our
regiments had become entirely depleted of ammunition; and, though Birney
was ordered to throw in his last man to Williams's support, it was too
late to prevent the latter from once more yielding ground.
For, having resisted the pressure of Stuart's right for nearly four
hours, his troops having been for some time with empty cartridge-boxes,
twenty-four hours without food, and having passed several nights without
sleep, while intrenching, Williams now felt that he could no longer hold
his ground. The enemy was still pressing on, and the mule-train of small
ammunition could not be got up under the heavy fire. His artillery had
also exhausted its supplies; Sickles was in similar plight; Jackson's
men, better used to the bayonet, and possessing the momentum of success,
still kept up their vigorous blows. Williams's line therefore slowly
fell to the rear, still endeavoring to lean on Sickles's left.
Sickles, who had kept Hooker informed of the condition of affairs as
they transpired, and had repeatedly requested support, now sent a
more urgent communication to him, asking for additional troops. Major
Tremaine reached headquarters just after the accident to Hooker, and
received no satisfaction. Nor had a second appeal better results.
What should and could easily have been done at an earlier moment by
Hooker,--to wit, re-enforce the right centre (where the enemy was all
too plainly using his full strength and making the key of the field),
from the large force of disposable troops on the right and left,--it was
now too late to order.
Before nine A.M., Sickles, having looked in vain for re-enforcements,
deemed it necessary to withdraw his lines back of Fairview crest.
Himself re-formed the divisions, except that portion withdrawn by
Revere, and led them to the rear, where the front line occupied the late
artillery breastworks. Ammunition was at once re-distributed.
We had doubtless inflicted heavy losses upon the Confederates. "Their
formation for attack was entirely broken up, and from my headquarters
they presented to the eye the appearance of a crowd, without definite
formation; and if another corps had been available at the moment to have
relieved me, or even to have supported me, my judgment was that not only
would that attack of the enemy have been triumphantly repulsed, but that
we could have advanced on them, and carried the day." (Sickles.)
On the Chancellorsville open occurred another sanguinary struggle.
Stuart still pressed on with his elated troops, although his men were
beginning to show signs of severe exhaustion. Franklin's and Mott's
brigades, says Sickles, "made stern resistance to the impulsive assaults
of the enemy, and brilliant charges in return worthy of the Old Guard."
But, though jaded and bleeding from this prolonged and
stubbornly-contested battle, Jackson's columns had by no means relaxed
their efforts. The blows they could give were feebler, but they were
continued with the wonderful pertinacity their chief had taught them;
and nothing but the Chancellor clearing, and with it the road to
Fredericksburg, would satisfy their purpose.
And a half-hour later, Sickles, finding himself unsupported on right
and left, though not heavily pressed by the enemy, retired to
Chancellorsville, and re-formed on the right of Hancock, while portions
of three batteries held their ground, half way between Chancellorsville
and Fairview, and fired their last rounds, finally retiring after nearly
all their horses and half their men had been shot, but still without the
loss of a gun.
With characteristic gallantry, Sickles now proposed to regain the
Fairview crest with his corps, attacking the enemy with the bayonet; and
he thinks it could have been done. But, Hooker having been temporarily
disabled, his successor or executive, Couch, did not think fit to
license the attempt. And shortly after, Hooker recovered strength
sufficient to order the withdrawal to the new lines at White House; and
Chancellorsville was reluctantly given up to the enemy, who had won it
so fairly and at such fearful sacrifice.
In retiring from the Chancellor clearing, Sickles states that he took,
instead of losing, prisoners and material. This appears to be true, and
shows how Stuart had fought his columns to the utmost of their strength,
in driving us from our morning's position. He says: "At the conclusion
of the battle of Sunday, Capt. Seeley's battery, which was the last
battery that fired a shot in the battle of Chancellorsville, had
forty-five horses killed, and in the neighborhood of forty men killed
and wounded;" but "he withdrew so entirely at his leisure, that he
carried off all the harness from his dead horses, loading his cannoneers
with it." "As I said before, if another corps, or even ten thousand men,
had been available at the close of the battle of Chancellorsville, on
that part of the field where I was engaged, I believe the battle would
have resulted in our favor." Such is the testimony of Hooker's warmest
supporter. And there is abundant evidence on the Confederate side to
confirm this assumption.
The losses of the Third Corps in the battle of Sunday seem to have been
the bulk of that day's casualties.
There can be no limit to the praise earned by the mettlesome veterans of
Jackson's corps, in the deadly fight at Fairview. They had continuously
marched and fought, with little sleep and less rations, since Thursday
morning. Their ammunition had been sparse, and they had been obliged
to rely frequently upon the bayonet alone. They had fought under
circumstances which rendered all attempts to preserve organization
impossible. They had charged through tangled woods against
well-constructed field-works, and in the teeth of destructive
artillery-fire, and had captured the works again and again. Never had
infantry better earned the right to rank with the best which ever bore
arms, than this gallant twenty thousand,--one man in every four of whom
lay bleeding on the field.
Nor can the same meed of praise be withheld from our own brave legions.
Our losses had been heavier than those of the enemy. Generals and
regimental commanders had fallen in equal proportions. Our forces had,
owing to the extraordinary combinations of the general in command, been
outnumbered by the enemy wherever engaged. While we had received the
early assaults behind breastworks, we had constantly been obliged to
recapture them, as they were successively wrenched from our grasp,--and
we had done it. Added to the prestige of success, and the flush of the
charge, the massing of columns upon a line of only uniform strength
had enabled the Confederates to repeatedly capture portions of our
intrenchments, and, thus taking the left and right in reverse, to drive
back our entire line. But our divisions had as often done the same.
And well may the soldiers who were engaged in this bloody encounter
of Sunday, May 3, 1863, call to mind with equal pride that each met a
foeman worthy of his steel.
Say Hotchkiss and Allan: "The resistance of the Federal army had been
stubborn. Numbers, weight of artillery, and strength of position, had
been in its favor. Against it told heavily the loss of morale due to the
disaster of the previous day."