1863.] HOOKER FORMS LINE OF BATTLE. 371 hundred yards east of Chancellorsville, and then ran westerly along the south side of that road, about three miles, when it turned sharply towards the rear of the line, and stretched back across what is known as "The Old Turnpike," forming a defensive crotchet to this flank. The line was about five miles long. Near where it intersected the plank road, and a few hundred yards in rear of the line, was a clearing of about an acre of ground, whereon stood the Chancellor House and its appendages. This house General Hooker used as headquarters, and the cleared ground around it was covered with army wagons, horses, &c. Posted along our line of battle, from left to right, and in the order named, were Meade's Fifth Corps, one division of the Second Corps, Slocum's Twelfth Corps, one division of the Third Corps, with Howard's Eleventh Corps on the right. The residue of the army was held in reserve. These movements and operations consumed Friday, the first day of May. On Saturday morning the force of General Couch's reasoning of the day before was made manifest by the thorough shelling which the Confederates gave the open space around the Chancellor House, from guns which they had posted on the ridge which Couch had carried on Friday, and which he had urged Hooker to retain possession of. At an early hour the enemy's skirmishline advanced, and began to feel the Federal position from the river road up to the Chancellor House, and for some distance along the plank road, as though seeking for a weak spot in Hooker's armor. These offensive demonstrations were continued, at intervals, through the day, but no general attack was made on these parts of the lines. These operations were designed only to occupy Hooker's attention, while the vital blow was preparing to be struck at the extreme right. CHAPTER XXVII. JACKSON'S MARCH-SICKLES STRIKES HIS COLUMN-FOLLOWS WHERE HE 86 WENT-DEVENS ON JACKSON EXTREME RIGHT-JACKSON FALLS UPON HIM THE RESULT-HOWARD TO DEVENS-LEE ATTACKS THE HURT-HIS CHARACTER. MORTALLY STARTING from near Tabernacle Church, at about the time Lee's skirmishers approached Hooker's lines, Stonewall Jackson began his march with 22,000 men, for the right flank of the Union line. This march would be for three miles nearly parallel with Hooker's front, and was a most perilous one to make before a watchful and energetic opponent. It likewise left Lee himself in a position of great danger, if the movement of Jackson should be discovered, and advantage of his absence taken to attack Lee, with his force reduced to about 13,000 men. But after Hooker had been so easily forced to abandon the open country, and take cover in the Wilderness, Lee seems to have had no apprehension that he would assume the aggressive. Jackson moved over the dirt road until nearly opposite Chancellorsville, when he filed to the left into an obscure road running nearly west, called "The Old Mine Road." Fitz-Lee's cavalry was deployed on Jackson's right flank to mask the movement. At the "Furnace," on the Old Mine Road, Jackson detached the Twenty-third Georgia to guard a forest road leading from the "Furnace" to Chancellorsville, and by way of which his rear was liable to attack. The condition of the country was exceedingly favorable to the success of such an enterprise as Jackson had undertaken, and his reputation for such bold ex 1863.] SICKLES STRIKES JACKSON'S COLUMN. 373 ploits should have put his adversary on his guard against him. His guides were familiar with the roads and paths through the forest, while to the Unionists it was a terra incognita. But it was ground of our own choosing, and we have no business to find fault with it. While Jackson's column was passing the "Furnace," it was observed by the Union pickets, and the fact that a large body of Confederates were moving towards the Federal right was duly reported to Headquarters. Birney's Division of Sickles' Corps was at this time posted well to the front of the Union line, and nearly opposite the point where the Eleventh and Twelfth Corps joined. Upon Sickles' suggestion, Hooker directed that Birney's Division should be still farther advanced, in order to discover the strength and purpose of the enemy's movement. A second division of Sickles' Corps was thrown forward to support Birney. Birney reached the road over which Jackson was marching, in time to strike the rear of his column and capture a few prisoners, and the Twenty-third Georgia, left at the "Furnace," was captured en masse. Sickles regarded the operations in which he was engaged, sufficiently important to justify his calling upon General Hooker for re-enforcements, and the latter ordered Pleasonton's Cavalry and a brigade of infantry from each of the two right Corps (Eleventh and Twelfth) to report to General Sickles. General Hooker states in his examination before the Committee on the Conduct of the War (page 126), that this movement of Jackson was reported at his Headquarters as early as half-past nine in the morning, and that he directed two divisions of the Third Corps to follow up the movement "This order was promptly executed, but the two divisions did not reach the line of the enemy's flank movement until after the main column had passed, still in season to capture nearly a regiment of its rear guard, and they were ordered to follow up |