300

o'clock, being attacked in front and flank, he fell back to Fairview where 40 guns of the 11th and 12th corps were being massed on high ground in his rear. In less than two hours Howard's corps had been driven back nearly two miles, losing about 1,500 killed and wounded and about 1,000 prisoners. As the Confederates had become tired and hungry and as the two leading divisions (those of Rodes

and Colston) had become inextricably mixed, Jackson suspended further operations and ordered A. P. Hill to relieve them. Meanwhile H. G. Berry's division of the 3d corps and William Hays' of the 2d corps had been sent by Hooker to the west edge of the open field north of the road; at Berry's right were some of Schurz's regiment; and Williams, desisting Williams, desisting from his attack on Anderson, regained part of his works and formed south of the road on Berry's right with Buschbeck in his rear, thus covering the road at a distance of a little over half a mile west of Chancellor House. On being being informed of Howard's disaster Sickles fell back from Welford's Furnace to Hazel Grove and formed on Pleasonton's left, while Barlow drew up in the rear of Pleasonton and close to Williams' left and front. At the same time the two Confederate lines fell back to the open ground around Dowdall's and, in order to cut off Hooker's retreat, A. P. Hill's leading brigade pushed along the plank road beyond the in

In an

tersection of a road leading left to White House and United States Ford. At about this time the Confederates met with an irreparable loss. endeavor to re-form his troops and eager to discover Hooker's intentions, Jackson had ridden along this road with his escort far beyond his line of battle. Skirmishing between opposing pickets in the woods began and as Jackson was riding back the mounted body was mistaken for Union cavalry

and fired into, Jackson being wounded in three places, both arms being shattered. Nearly the entire escort also were killed or wounded. Jackson's wound proved mortal, resulting in his death on May 10.* At the sound of the firing in the woods the Union guns at Fairview opened furiously on the plank road, causing some confusion among the Confederate troops there. During this fire A. P. Hill was badly wounded and J. E. B. Stuart was sent forward to take command.

During the night and early morning, by making some changes in the Union line, the approaches to United States Ford were covered by Reynolds' corps and part of Meade's, while the 11th corps took position on the extreme left vacated by Meade. At 9 o'clock on the night of May 2

Dabney, Life of Jackson, p. 282 et seq.; I. B. Haas, Stonewall Jackson's Death. Wounded by his Own Men, in Southern Historical Society Papers, vol. xxxii., pp. 94-98 (1904); Battles and Leaders, vol. iii., pp. 203-214. See also the biographies of Jackson by M. Addey, J. E. Cooke, S. N. Randolph, G. F. R. Henderson, C. Hovey, J. Anderson, D. D. White, and James H. Wood.

Hooker, unaware that Sedgwick's entire corps was at Fredericksburg, ordered him to cross from Falmouth and march up the south side of the river to Chancellorsville so as to be "in our vicinity at daylight. You will probably fall upon the rear of the forces commanded by General Lee and between us we will use him up."* Pleasonton and Sickles were ordered to fall back from Hazel Grove at dawn of the 3d, Pleasonton marched back at 4 o'clock, and Sickles was in the act of following when his rear was struck by the Confederates. At 5 o'clock on the morning of May 3 Stuart, now in command of Jackson's corps, sent his right against Sickles' rear brigade then retiring from Hazel Grove. The brigade was soon routed, four guns were captured, and Stuart swept on. At Hazel Grove the Confederates placed 30 guns in position which, sweeping the open ground of Fairview, poured an enfilading fire on the right of Geary's division of the 12th corps which was fighting Anderson. At the same time Geary's left was being pounded by McLaws' guns. The battle raged along the entire line of the 2d, 3d and 12th corps. On the right W. H. French's division of the 2d corps and three divisions of the 3d were driven in but soon regained the ground lost, though eventually Stuart's men retook the Union works. Stuart's right was then hotly engaged with Williams, while Anderson was fighting desperately with Geary of

*Official Records, vol. xxv., pt. ii., p. 365.

301

the 12th corps; and on the left, covering the Fredericksburg road, the force attacked by McLaws' brigade was being desperately resisted by Hancock's division of the 2d corps. Stuart, however, gradually gained ground and united his right with Anderson's left near Hazel Grove. At this time the ammunition of the Union troops began to fail and at 9 o'clock, after having suffered frightful losses, French's division of the 2d corps, the entire 3d corps, and Williams' division of the 12th corps began to fall back. The Confederates then gained the west of the Chancellor Plateau and swept it fore and aft with a hot artillery fire.

It was at this time that an unfortunate accident happened to General Hooker. Shortly after 9 o'clock, while standing near his headquarters at Chancellor House, a column of the portico was struck by a cannon shot and Hooker was knocked down and stunned. This, however, had little effect on the result for, according to Lee, "by 10 A. M. we were in full possession of the field."* Couch, being second in command, was instructed by Hooker to withdraw to a position about three-quarters of a mile north of the Chancellor House and covering United States Ford. Closely pressed, the right and centre fought their way back; Geary, attacked in front, right flank and rear, followed; Hancock followed Geary; before noon the Union troops were in the new position; and here the battle of Chancellorsville

*Official Records, vol. xxv., pt. i., p. 800.

302

proper ended, for before Lee had time to renew the attack he had heard of the capture of Fredericksburg and Marye's Heights and the advance of Sedgwick. Accordingly he suspended further operations against Hooker and sent McLaws' division against Sedgwick.

We have seen that Hooker had ordered Sedgwick on the night of May 2 to march upon Chancellorsville and attack Lee's rear at daylight. This was an impossible undertaking and it seems altogether unreasonable that Hooker should have expected Sedgwick to attack and defeat the force left at Fredericksburg and then march 11 miles and fall upon Lee's rear, and to do all this between midnight and daybreak.* When Sedgwick received Hooker's order he had already crossed the river at Fredericksburg and was three miles below the town. Between him and Lee lay Early with 9,000 men occupying strongly fortified positions. Sedgwick had about 23,000 men divided into three divisions commanded by Generals John Newton, W. T. H. Brooks, and A. P. Howe. Brooks was left below Fredericksburg and Newton led the advance on the town, but it was early in the morning before he reached the rear and left of Fredericksburg. When morning broke it was seen that the Confederates held Marye's Heights. Gibbon crossed the river from Falmouth, reported to Sedgwick

with his division, and under cover of a demonstration by Newton advanced on the right to turn the position, but was stopped by the canal and a concentrated fire of artillery. He found also that Hays' brigade of Early's division and Wilcox's of Anderson's division were facing him in front, whereupon he fell back. On the other flank Howe's division failed to make any impression. Hence to gain the road desired it was necessary to take Marye's Heights whence the Confederates, the previous December, had so mercilessly slaughtered Burnside's troops. Nevertheless, the attempt was made and storming columns were formed, Howe massing three on the left and Newton two. These were launched against the Confederate position but were bloodily repulsed by

Barksdale's brigade.

Barksdale's brigade. The assault was renewed, however, and at 11 o'clock, after a loss of 1,000 killed, wounded and missing, the heights were carried, 15 guns and nearly 1,000 prisoners being captured. A delay occurred in bringing up Brooks' division which was to take the advance, and it was 3 o'clock before Sedgwick marched for Chancellorsville, leaving Gibbon to hold the town and cover the bridges there. Meanwhile Wilcox had regained the road in Sedgwick's front and made a stand half a mile in advance of Salem Church, where McLaws had now come up and formed across the road. On the advance of Brooks, Wilcox fell back to the church, closely followed by