hurt, the latter insisted upon being taken out, to make room for the General, and Jackson was laid in his place.

It sensibly

The General repeatedly asked for some spirits during his progress to the rear, and this was now obtained. relieved him, and, reaching Melzi Chancellor's, he McGuire, his chief surgeon.

found Dr.

From Melzi Chancellor's he was taken to the hospital at Wilderness Run, at the intersection of the old turnpike and Germanna plank road, five miles west of Chancellorsville.*

CHAPTER XXXVII.

THE RESULT OF JACKSON'S MOVEMENT.

THE decisive engagement which we have attempted to describe should properly be called the battle of the Wilderness, to distinguish it from the battle of Chancellorsville, which occurred on the next day. We have, nevertheless, acquiesced in the popular decision, which has given the latter name to the battles both of Saturday and Sunday; and now proceed briefly to sum up the exciting incidents which terminated the great struggle, before returning to the proper theme of these pages.

When Jackson and Hill were both wounded and forced to retire from the field, a member of General Hill's staff was despatched to summon General Stuart, who had gone with his cavalry to hold the road to Ely's ford. As soon as he arrived, the command of the corps, which had temporarily devolved upon General Rodes, was formally turned over to him by General Hill, who was still upon the field, and he proceeded to make

* The foregoing narrative is based upon minute and most interesting MS. statements from Captain R. E. Wilbourn and Lieutenant J. P. Smith, of the General's staff, and a letter of Captain B. W. Leigh, serving on General Hill's staff, which will be found in the Appendix to this volume. These details are now for the first time published.

instant preparations for a renewal of the attack. Ignorant in a great measure of the enemy's position, and summoned thus to take command in the darkness, General Stuart requested Major Pendleton to go to General Jackson and ask what his dispositions and plans were, as he "knew that what General Jackson had designed was the very best that could be done." When this message was delivered to the wounded soldier at Wilderness Run, he replied: "Go back to General Stuart and tell him to act upon his own judgment, and do what he thinks best; I have implicit confidence in him." *

In consequence of the recent attack upon the Confederate right, and the confusion of the troops which had fired into each other several times, mistaking each other for the enemy, General Stuart decided not to hazard a night attack, and addressed himself energetically to the task of preparing for an assault upon the Federal position at dawn next day. Riding rapidly along the lines, he placed each in position, enjoined silence, and made every disposition for a move at daylight. A writer in one of the journals describes the picturesque appearance of the General as he thus moved rapidly to and fro, his drawn sabre gleaming in the moonlight, his words of good cheer inspiring the men of Jackson with new ardor for the obstinate struggle which was still before them.

The corps was drawn up in three lines-Hill's division constituting the first, Colston's the second, and Rodes' the third. At dawn every preparation was made; the troops were eager for the encounter; and as the sun rose splendidly, driving away the mists which enveloped the wild landscape, General Stuart ordered his three lines to advance upon the enemy. The men bore steadily down upon the Federal position, which was not half a mile in front, and soon the forest echoed with the crash of musketry and artillery. With a quick eye General Stuart had seen that the ridge upon the right of his line was an admi

*This statement is made upon the authority of Colonel A. S. Pendleton, Jackson's adjutant-general, who recalled the exact words used by General Jackson.

rable position for artillery, and, massing rapidly upon this eminence thirty pieces, he opened a heavy enfilading fire upon the Federal batteries. The effect was important, the fire sweeping every thing before it, and driving the enemy still further from the plank road beyond Chancellorsville toward the river.

Met thus by this heavy and damaging fire from the Confederate right, the Federal lines swung round and made a vigorous assault upon their left. To repulse this attack, Colston's division, which had been ordered to the right, was rapidly moved to the left, and the three lines became merged into one line of battle, which was soon engaged in a bloody contest with the heavy columns of the enemy, fighting now with the energy of despair. General Hooker had contracted his lines, massed his forces for a last struggle; and at this critical moment the ammunition of a considerable portion of the Southern troops, in consequence of the hot action on the night before, was exhausted.

Every available regiment was immediately sent to the point; the troops were ordered to hold the ground at all hazards, if necessary with the bayonet, and the enemy were held in check. The right of the line had now swung round, and about eight o'clock the works of the enemy were stormed by the combined forces of the Confederates, Stuart's right having connected with Anderson's left, where General Lee commanded in person. Three times they were won and lost, amid a deafening roar of artillery and musketry. Nothing, however, availed to check the Southern troops. The artillery was advanced; the infantry made their way over every obstacle, and at ten o'clock Chancellorsville was in General Lee's possession.

The scene presented at this moment was one of overpowering horror and magnificence. In their fiery path the shells had set the woods on fire, and the forest was roaring and crackling above the countless wounded, buried in their depths, and thus exposed to the most agonizing of all deaths. Over the bleeding bodies soared the inexorable flames; and in many instances the fallen, half torn to pieces by shell, or pierced with balls, found their expiring moments hastened by the cruel tongues of fire.

An inexpressible horror enveloped the scene, and in front of all rose the Chancellorsville house, riddled with cannon shot, and presenting one huge mass of flame. It had been set on fire by shell, and now resembled the crater of a volcano, from which rose jets of flame and lurid smoke, mingling with the rest, and overshadowing the whole landscape with its gloomy mantle.

Such is a brief outline of this sanguinary conflict. The Confederate troops never fought with more resolution, and although they were gallantly met they carried the day. A Northern writer describing the Southern troops says:

"From the large brick house, which gives the name to this vicinity, the enemy could be seen sweeping slowly, but confidently, determinedly, and surely, through the clearings which extended in front. Nothing could excite more admiration for the best qualities of the veteran soldier than the manner in which the enemy swept out, as they moved steadily onward, the forces which were opposed to them. We say it reluctantly, and for the first time, that the enemy have shown the finest qualities, and we acknowledge, on this occasion, their superiority in the open field to our own men.

"They delivered their fire with precision, and were apparently inflexible and immovable under the storm of bullets and shell which they were constantly receiving. Coming to a piece of timber, which was occupied by a division of our own men, half the number were detailed to clear the woods. It seemed certain that here they would be repulsed, but they marched right through the wood, driving our own soldiers out, who delivered their fire and fell back, halted again, fired and fell back as before, seeming to concede to the enemy, as a matter of course, the superiority which they evidently felt themselves. Our own men fought well. There was no lack of courage, but an evident feeling, apparently the result of having been so often whipped, or of having witnessed the rout on the night previous, that they were destined to be beaten, and the only thing for them to do was to fire and retreat. The enemy felt confident that they were to be victorious, and our men had, from

some occasion, imbibed the same impression. Our men showed lack of earnestness and enthusiasm, but no want of courage. All that they needed was the inspiration of a series of victories to look back upon, and an earnestness and confidence in the success of the cause for which they were fighting. Thus ended the Sabbath and another chapter in the series of our disasters."

On the afternoon of Sunday, May 3d, General Lee was in line of battle along the plank road with his centre at Chancellorsville. A final advance was just on the point of being made when intelligence arrived that General Sedgwick had recrossed into Fredericksburg, stormed Marye's hill, captured a portion of the Confederate force there, and was now advancing up the main road to form a junction with General Hooker at Chancellorsville. This movement of so heavy a force against his flank made it necessary for General Lee to delay his advance upon General Hooker; and the divisions of Anderson and McLaws were sent to meet Sedgwick. At Salem Church, about five miles from Fredericksburg, they encountered Barksdale and Wilcox falling back before the enemy, who pressed them hotly; and the reënforcements just came in time. General Sedgwick was held in check until night; and on the next morning General Lee, who had arrived during the night, vigorously attacked him and drove him back in confusion on Banks' ford. He was pursued to that point, and barely had time to cross on his pontoons when the Confederate artillery opened upon him.

On Tuesday, the 5th, McLaws' division was sent toward United States ford, and General Lee returned with Anderson to Chancellorsville to attack General Hooker. "By this time," says a Northern writer, "the aspect of affairs had become exceedingly dark." The prospect was indeed gloomy. General Hooker had been defeated in every struggle since his appearance on the southern shores of the Rappahannock; had been driven from Chancellorsville, forced back upon the river-and on Tues day afternoon it commenced raining.

When General Lee advanced on Wednesday morning his ad