82 



ARMY OPERATIONS. 



or, if he made an attack on the right, that the 

 eleventh corps would be sufficient to resist 

 him. On the contrary, about five o'clock, a 

 terrific volley of musketry on the extreme right 

 announced that he had commenced his opera- 

 tions. The division of Gen. Schurz, which he 

 first assailed, 'almost instantly gave way. Thou- 

 sands threw down their arms and streamed 

 down the road toward headquarters. The en- 

 emy pressed his .advantage. The division of 

 Gen. Devens, infected by the demoralization in 

 front, soon followed the fugitives. Gen. How- 

 ard, the commander of the corps, with all his 

 vigor and resolution could not stem the retreat- 

 ing torrent. The brigades of Cols. Bush, Beck, 

 and McLean maintained themselves as long as 

 possible, but finally gave way in good order 

 before superior numbers. 



Gen. Hooker now sent to the aid of Gen. 

 Howard the second division of the third corps, 

 under Maj.-Gen. Berry. Their batteries, under 

 Capt. Best, were moved on a ridge running 

 across the road, and after a short but sanguin- 

 ary contest, the advance of the enemy was 

 checked. This disaster compelled the recall of 

 Gens. Sickles and Slocum. Gen. "Williams's di- 

 vision found a portion of their works filled with 

 the enemy, and Gen. Sickles could not commu- 

 nicate with the rest of the army by the way he 

 had advanced, and only at great risk by any 

 other route. This was the state of affairs at 

 dark. A bright moon soon appeared, and a 

 night attack was ordered to restore the com- 

 munications. Gen. "Wood's brigade of Gen. 

 Birney's division made the attack at eleven 

 o'clock, aided by the guns massed on the ridge 

 in front of the enemy. This attack was suc- 

 cessful and restored the communications. The 

 enemy fell back nearly half a mile. The effect 

 of the enemy's movement was to compel Gen. 

 Hooker to contract his lines and assume the 

 defensive, protected by breastworks and in- 

 trenchments. 



During the night, the first corps, under Maj.- 

 Gen. Reynolds, and the fifth corps, under Maj.- 

 Gen. Meade, were transferred to Gen. Hooker's 

 right, and set to work vigorously to intrench 

 themselves. The position of the latter corps 

 on the left was taken by the eleventh corps, 

 which was reorganized during the night, and 

 then assigned to a point where but little 

 fighting was anticipated, and where they were 

 protected by the work made on the previous 

 day by the fifth corps. At the same time the 

 force of Gen. Lee opposite the Federal right 

 was strongly refinforced. 



At 5 o'clock on Sunday morning, the enemy 

 could be seen up the plank road about a mile 

 and a half from the Chancellor House, which 

 was still retained as the headquarters of Gen. 

 Hooker. The Federal line was formed with 

 the division of Gen. Berry on the right, that of 

 Gen. Birney next on the left, and Gens. Whip- 

 pie and Williams supporting. By half past 

 five, Gen. Berry became engaged, and a terri- 

 ble conflict ensued. The infantry of the en- 



emy were advanced in overwhelming numbers 

 for the purpose of crushing the Federal line, 

 but the forces of Gens. Sickles and Slocum held 

 them in check. The struggle became despe- 

 rate, hand to hand, and the carnage great. It 

 continued until 8.45 A. M., without the slightest 

 intermission, when there was a temporary sus- 

 pension on the Federal side, occasioned by 

 getting out of ammunition. The position was, 

 however, held by the bayonet for nearly an 

 hour, until a supply was received, and an order 

 was given to fall back to the vicinity of the 

 Chancellor House. ' The contest now raged ha 

 this vicinity. Gen. Hooker's headquarters were 

 withdrawn at ten o'clock. The house was 

 burned by a shell of the enemy. The engage- 

 ment continued until 11.30 A. M., when the 

 musketry fire ceased. Gen. Hooker, acting on 

 the defensive, had been compelled to contract 

 his lines still further, and would perhaps have 

 recrossed the Rappahannock that day except 

 for the advantages expected to be gained by 

 the movement of Gen. Sedgwick below Fred- 

 ericksburg, and that of the cavalry force under 

 Gen. Stoneman. 



Several attempts were made by the enemy 

 during the afternoon to force the lines of Gen. 

 Hooker, but without success. 



The following despatch, relative to the ope- 

 rations of Saturday and Sunday, was sent to 

 Richmond by Gen. Lee: 



MILFORD, May 3d, 1863. 

 To President Davis : 



Yesterday Gen. Jackson penetrated to the rear of 

 the enemy. We drove him from all his positions from 

 the Wilderness to within one mile of Chancellorsville. 

 He was engaged f at the same time in front by two of 

 Longstreet's divisions. Many prisoners were taken, 

 and the enemy's loss in killed and wounded is large. 

 This morning the battle was renewed. He was dis- 

 lodged from all his positions around Chancellorsville, 

 and driven back toward the Rappahannock, over 

 which he is now retreating. We have again to thank 

 Almighty God for a great victory. I regret to state 

 that Gen. Paxton was killed, Gen. Jackson severely 

 and Gens. Heth and A. P. Hill slightly wounded. 



R. E. LEE, General Commanding. 



On Saturday, May 2d, Gen. Sedgwick was 

 ordered to cross the Rappahannock, move upon 

 Fredericksburg, and march out on the plank road 

 toward Chancellorsville, until he connected 

 with the right under Gen. Hooker, and to de- 

 stroy any force he might meet on the road. 

 By twelve o'clock that night, the three divi- 

 sions composing the sixth corps were all across, 

 and waiting orders. The main force of the 

 enemy had been concentrated on their own left 

 to resist Gen. Hooker. The first division, under 

 Gen. Brooks, was left to guard the crossing and 

 occupy the enemy in front. At four o'clock 

 A. M., on Sunday, the head of the corps was in 

 motion toward Fredericksburg. At the edge 

 of the town it was halted, the batteries brought 

 into position, and the first line of the enemy's 

 intrenchments in the rear carried with consid- 

 erable loss. At noon the division of Gen. Howe 

 was scattered over the heights, looking out for 

 and pursuing the enemy, when orders were re- 



