USA > Virginia > Frederick County > Frederick County > Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and Their Descendants: A History of Frederick County, Virginia. > Part 68
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so plainly presented by Genl. Lee, who had ur- gently called for more cavalry to aid Stuart in his arduous work, and that Longstreet should be returned immediately. Mr. Davis has been properly censured for his course in connection with the Spring campaign of 1863. On the evening of April 30th, three Federal army corps had swung around and assembled at and near the Chancellorsville house, having marched nearly fifty miles in three days, over roads almost im- passable; fording rivers and fighting over every mile; and at the twilight hour the situation ap- peared perplexing to the rank and file of the Confederates; and while other columns were hastening to the same point, all in the rear of Genl. Lee, the question was frequently asked: Why has Genl. Lee allowed this apparent suc- cess to attend the Federal Army, and how can he extricate his army from such a net-work? Hooker was sending dispatches to Washington, glowing with enthusiasm, promising a complete annihilation of Lee's Rebel army. (See official reports.) But it appears from these O. R. that Genl. Stuart was accomplishing wonders out on Stoneman's flanks, not only impeding his pro- gress, but accumulating information relative to the flank and rear movement of Hooker; so that he was able to report the situation to Genl Lee, who in after years referred to Stuart's exploits as the most useful ever afforded a Comman- der-in-Chief by the cavalry arm of the service. Stuart had by his bold dashes deceived Stone- man and caused him to deflect from his or- iginal plan, and to divide his 10,000 horsemen into fragmentary columns uselessly marching to intercept phantom brigades; while he, Stuart, threw his effective force upon the flanks of in- fantry corps, who were astonished by their ap- pearance. May Ist was chosen by Hooker for all his lines to close in, believing that Lee had not made and could not make any changes that would prevent the execution of his matured plans. But Lee and Jackson had become fully apprised of the location of the great fighting host, and also knew the topography of the in- tervening country, which has become familiarly known as The Wilderness. To reach that point without being observed by the outposts at Fred- ericksburg, where balloons and signal corps were expected to keep Sedgewick posted, Jackson took advantage of the dark night and morning's fog, to hurry away to points that might lead to an attack at the Chancellorsville House; and long before the darkness and fog cleared away, Jack- son had landed his corps at the Little Cross Roads Church, not far East from Chancellors- ville, where Genl. Anderson had taken position to check the Federal Genl. Anderson; and with his small force, had made good use of their
time, by throwing up entrenchments along the lower ridge hidden from view by the dense forest that resembled a jungle more than a for- est. Though seemingly interminable, several roads had been cut through this wilderness of trees, underbrush and every imaginable vine and scrubby growth. This dense growth covered a space of full twenty miles in length from West to East, and about twelve or fifteen miles in width from North to South. It was in this forest where the Federals were in tremendous force-masses of infantry and artillery holding every avenue leading to the central point, the Chancellorsville House. Genl. Jackson upon his arrival at Genl. Anderson's position, immedi- ately decided upon an offensive movement, and not to wait for an attack. He had then about 45,000 infantry, 100 guns, and Fitz Hugh Lee's Brigade of cavalry; and by 11 A. M. this army was in motion, heading for the scene of the com- ing struggle. One road was called a pike-Genl. Anderson led the command on this road, with a regiment of cavalry in advance as scouts and skirmishers; then McLaws' division; following this, two brigades of Anderson's Division. Genl. Jackson with three divisions and the artillery, took what was called the plank road. The Fed- erals were encountered on the Pike after a march of one mile-an infantry force who fought stubbornly and yielded slowly. Federals also appeared on the plank road. They gave way to the Valley men, falling back to their positions near the Chancellorsville House; and by 5 P. M. Federal artillery poured a galling fire into the columns marching through the for- est. The cavalry suffered in all these ap- proaches. The forests were so dense that the col- umns made slow progress, and produced but little effect in the use of the artillery, failing to get positions for the batteries. It is related by surviving staff officers of Generals Jackson and Stuart, that in the afternoon when they had gone well to the front with several pieces of artillery, to find the positions of the Federal guns, several masked batteries opened from the Federal lines and killed a number of horses and men who had ridden to the front with them; and that Jackson's and Stuart's escape was noth- ing short of miraculous. The gloom of the dense forest was heightened by clouds of smoke, added to which the dim light of day was en- tirely shut off by the first hours of the dark night. Genl. Jackson, however, had full knowl- edge of Hooker's position, whose strong lines stretched along the plank road that followed the Chancellorsville ridge running to the South- ward. We have a reliable description of Hooker's position in the language of Genl. Lee in his report of this approaching battle: "Genl.
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Hooker had assumed a position of great natural strength, surrounded on all sides by a dense forest, filled with a tangled undergrowth, in the midst of which breastworks of logs had been constructed, with trees felled in front, so as to form an almost impenetrable abattis. His ar- tillery swept the few narrow roads, by which the position could be approached from the front, and commanded the adjacent woods. The left of his line extended from Chancellorsville to- wards the Rappahannock, covering the Bark Mill (U. S.) ford, which communicated with the North bank of the river by a pontoon bridge. His right stretched westward along the Ger- mana Ford road (the pike) more than two miles. As the nature of the country rendered it haz- ardous to attack by night, our troops were halted and formed in line of battle in front of Chan- cellorsville at right angles to the plank road extending on the right to the Mine road, and to the left in the direction of the Catherine Fur- nace." We understand from Genl. Lee's state- ment, that Genl. Hooker held a position in the rear of the original position of the Confederates, and so strongly held by his tremendous army, with breastworks facing North and West, that the Southern army was compelled to storm the fortified front. Official reports show that both Hooker and Lee held war councils in the night of May Ist-Hooker confident in the success of his plan to head off the retreat and virtually de- stroy the Army of Northern Virginia ;- Lee and Jackson considering plans to flank the enemy, hoping thereby to surprise and virtually destroy the Army of the Potomac. The student of mil- itary history will be impressed with the boldness .of Hooker in planting his army where he was on May Ist, 1863, and equally impressed with the boldness of Lee and Jackson in executing the plans agreed upon during the night, with Sedge- wick's 35,000 on the river near Fredericksburg, awaiting orders to harass and attack the Con- federates under Jackson, with only Genl. Early to offer resistance. The two great armies were on the verge of victory or overthrow. We are indebted to Major Hotchkiss, in his valuable description of this campaign, for preserving an incident relating to the last interview between Genl. Lee and Jackson. Maj. Hotchkiss says: "About daylight on May 2nd, Genl. Jackson awakened me, and requested that I would at once go down to Catherine Furnace, which is quite near, and where a Col. Welford lived, and ascertain if there was any road by which we could secretly pass around Chancellorsville to the vicinity of Old Wilderness Tavern. I had a map, which our engineers had prepared from actual surveys of the surrounding country, show- ing all the public roads, with but few details of
the immediate topography." Major Hotchkiss obtained satisfactory information, and returning to Headquarters at 3:30 A. M., he says : "I found Genls. Lee and Jackson in conference, each seat- ed on a cracker box, from a pile which had been left there by the Federals the day before. In response to Genl. Jackson's request for my report, I put another cracker box between the two Generals, on which I spread the map; showed them the road I had ascertained, and indicated, so far as I knew it, the position of the Federal Army. Genl. Lee then said: "Gen- eral Jackson, what do you propose to do?" He replied : "Go around here," moving his finger over the road which I had located upon the map." Genl. Lee said: "What do you propose to make this movement with?" "With my whole corps" was the answer. Genl. Lee then asked : "What will you leave me?" "The divisions of Anderson and McLaws,'' said Jackson. Genl. Lee, after a moment's reflection, remarked: "Well go on;" and then pencil in hand gave his last instructions. The whole corps (2nd) marched out in single column, Fitzhugh Lee with the Ist Va. Cavalry, taking the front; Rodes' Division next; then A. P. Hill's. This movement was started between 4 and 5 A. M. Col. Henderson mentions this march in the early morning as the hour when Genls. Lee and Jack- son held their last interview. Official papers in- dicate that the last meeting was at a later hour. Col. Henderson says that while the column was pressing rapidly forward, Genl. Lee stood by the roadside to watch them pass; and while there, Genl. Jackson appeared at the head of his staff and drew rein when opposite the Commander-in- Chief, and the two conversed for a few moments. An eye-witness has written of this incident as one that impressed all who saw the last inter- view between Lee and Jackson.
McLaw's and Anderson's Divisions were kept busy to distract attention from Jackson's march of ten miles through the forest and broken country, where he expected to fall upon Hooker's flank and rear. The Federals being in great force, were encountered frequently after the first 8 miles. The moving column was discovered by Federals from a strong position near Catherine Furnace, where, about Noon, the Federals forced an engagement with Genl. Anderson, which threatened a serious interruption to Jackson's general movement. He, however, moved on, sending several requests to reinforce Anderson ; and while the latter was expected to check all attacks on the flank, he was expected to keep in touch with the main column. Genl. Fitz Lee, in his carefully prepared account of this flank movement, says that after using every means his dashing riders could adopt, he was far in
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the front of Genl. Jackson, and saw the Fed- erals in such positions that would be interest- ing to Genl. Jackson. He galloped back and met the General about 2 P. M., where he had just reached the Plank road-the point from which he expected to move rapidly Eastward and strike Hooker's flank. Fitz Lee had discovered Genl. Howard's Division not a mile distant from the point where he beheld the Federals, entirely oblivious to danger of attack. When he ap- proached Genl. Jackson, he said: "General, if you will ride with me, halting your columns here out of sight, I will show you the great advantage of attacking down the Old Turnpike instead of the Plank Road, the enemy's lines being taken in reverse. Bring only one courier, as you will be in view from the top of the hill." Jackson followed Genl. Fitz Lee to a high point over- looking the country occupied by the Federal Gen- eral Howard. There he beheld a scene that com- pensated for many of the struggles during the heat and dust attending his project for a flank attack. Howard's army, the 11th corps, lay at his mercy. He was where he could strike him unaware. Genl. Fitz says he addressed him several times, without answer; though after studying the situation, he turned to his courier and said : "Tell Genl. Rodes to move across the Plank Road and halt when he gets to the Old Turnpike. I will join him there." This was 2 o'clock; and at 4 P. M. Genl. Rodes was on the turnpike. The cavalry and the old Stonewall Brigade occupied places along the Plank Road, to conceal the movement on the turnpike, to within one mile of Howard's breastworks. There they halted, prepared for battle. While this change was in progress, Genl. Jackson sent his last dispatch to Genl. Lee. It is given here:
¥ Near 3 P. M., May 2, 1863. "General-The enemy has made a stand at Chancellor's (Dowdall's Tavern) which is about two miles from Chancellorsville. I hope as soon as practicable to attack. I trust that an ever kind Providence will bless us with great suc- cess. "Respectfully,
T. J. JACKSON, Lieutenant General.
"The leading division is up, and the next two appear to be well closed. T. J. J." "General R. E. Lee."
Official reports and historical sketches from Federal sources, show that Hooker as late as 4:10 P. M., May 2nd, was entirely mistaken in his estimates of the situation. At that hour he learned for the first time that Confederates had appeared on his right, but believed that Lee was
actually in retreat, and the demonstration at Catherine's Furnace between the Confederates under Genls. Archer and Thomas, and Federals under Genl. Sickles, was an effort to save the wagon trains of Genl. Lee. A study of the bat- tle field reveals the weakness that always pre- vailed among the Federals, when preparing for great battles. Large divisions were in position, remote from each other, always inviting attack from the strategic generals, thus allowing a large army to be whipped in detail. At 6 P. M. when Jackson was at the front, giving his orders to Genl. Rodes, Genl. Howard was totally unpre- pared for the impending attack. The Federals had allowed an army of men, artillery, etc., to march a distance of about 16 miles during the day, and take position within a mile of his breastworks without his knowledge. Federal writers have censured Howard for his surprise, claiming that he had been importuned by sev- eral brigadiers to prepare for an attack. When the Rebel yell fell upon his ear late that even- ing, the General was dazed. The sudden attack from an unexpected source appalled others be- sides the General in Command at that point. Some brave Federal officers stood to their posts, and were gallantly supported by veteran regi- ments, who held their ground until outnumbered. Many more were panic-stricken and sought ref- uge in the black Wilderness, throwing away arms, etc. Confederate artillery thundered shot and shell into their fleeing ranks. One brigade with wonderful coolness and bravery, stood in position along the edge of the front, in some old fields on the South side of the turnpike, and received a shock of battle not often seen. Here the loss of life was terrific. Genl. George H. Gordon in his "From Brook Farm to Appo- mattox," says not a mounted officer survived the first charge. The field was won, and Genl. How- ard's former position was a scene to gratify the victorious Jackson and his gallant hosts. Nearly all the accoutrements of the Federal Army lay strewn on the field, with dead, dying and droves of prisoners. Other brigades caught the in- fection of disaster, and were fleeing towards Hooker's Union Army. The old Plank Road could not contain them. The fields were cov- ered with fleeing men, horses and cattle. The IIth Army Corps apparently routed, and divisions and brigades panicky. Yet to the credit of brave men, several hotly contested positions yielded slowly. The last stand made was near Dow- dall's Tavern and on the Talley Farm. Then it was Jackson personally called upon his old Val- ley men commanded by Genl. Colston, to charge in conjunction with Genl. Rodes, and sweep the last vestige of the 11th Army Corps into con- fusion and rout. The official reports show the
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result of their deadly work. 7 P. M. found the remnant of the right wings of the Army of the Potomac, shattered and rushing pell mell into Hooker's centre, who was still unconscious of his danger; his left occupied by his 2nd and 5th Corps, had been vigorously attacked by Genl. Lee, with the McLaws' and other troops left with him when Jackson and he parted. Sickles and his 3rd Corps had early in the day been checked and confused by Genl. Anderson's Di- visions at Hazel Grove; while Hooker's Head- quarters at Chancellorsville had no force to pro- tect his fortified centre, which Genl. Jackson now rushing from the rear, could easily sweep, for the boasted strength of the fortifications were useless now. Guns pointing in the wrong direction, and no men to stand by them. In the edge of the forest, the Federals had some pro- tection, and stubbornly held to their fortified places. Genl. Jackson sent to Genl. Rodes to clear the front and occupy the barricades. A. P. Hill was ordered to relieve Genl. Colston and prepare for a night attack; and Genl. Jackson set to work in person to reform his old Com- mand that had suffered heavy loss and was scattered in confusion in the tangled forests. When this was accomplished, Colston with the Valley Army reformed on the roads leading to Hazel Grove. Many readers of this brief out- line will be interested in all of Stonewall Jack- son's expressions and movements on that fateful night. The writer will quote freely from Col. Henderson, who so zealously gathered every in- cident from the surviving staff officers who were at his side during the entire evening. When Genl. Colston was in position, and other plans for further movements made, Genl. Jackson pro- ceeded to his advance line, then heading for the open, that would rout Hooker from his Chan- cellorsville Headquarters. At the point where the road to the White House and United States ford strikes the Plank Road, he met Genl. Lane, seeking his instructions for the attack. "Push right ahead, Lane, right ahead." His next com- mand was to Genl. A. P. Hill. "Press them; cut them off from the United States ford, Hill; press them." Jackson directed his Chief En- gineer, Capt Boswell, to act as guide for Genl. Hill, he having said he was not sufficiently ac- quainted with the topography of the country to move with safety; and then, turning to the front, rode up to the Plank Road, passing quickly through the ranks of the 18th North Carolina, of Lane's Brigade. Two or three hundred yards eastward the General halted, for the sound of axes and words of command were plainly heard in the enemy's lines. During the last hour, while the Confederates were reforming, Hooker had diligently urged his reserves to come to his
relief. The General from his advanced position, learned that he was losing too much time, and grew impatient for Hill's advance. On his re- turn to press the troops forward, an officer who was with him said: "General, you should not expose yourself so much." "There is no dan- ger, sir, the enemy is routed. Go back and tell Genl. Hill to press on." Changing his route somewhat, he together with his entire staff then present and several couriers, found they were near the 18th North Carolina Infantry, who were standing in the trees, the General halted at sounds of voices coming from that quarter,- the General's party also hidden from view by the dismal shades of the forest. At this moment a single rifle shot rang out on the stillness. A detachment of Federal Infantry groping their way through the thickets, had approached the Confederate lines. Skirmishing at once opened on both sides; and the lines of battle in rear became keenly alert. Some mounted officers gal- loped back to their commands. The sounds startled the Confederate soldiers; and an officer of the 18th North Carolina, seeing a group of strange horsemen riding towards him through the darkness-for Genl. Jackson hearing the fir- ing, had turned back to his own lines-gave the order to fire. The volley was fearfully effective. Men and horses fell dead and dying. Jackson himself received three bullets, one in the right hand and two in the left arm, cutting the main artery and crushing the bone below the shoul- der; and as the reins dropped upon his neck, "Little Sorrel," frantic with terror, plunged into the woods and rushed toward the Federal lines. An overhanging bough struck the General vio- lently in the face; tore off his cap, and nearly unhorsed him; but recovering his seat, he man- aged to seize the bridle with his bleeding hand, and turned into the road. Here Capt. Mil- bourne, one of his staff officers, succeeded in catching the reins; and as the horse stopped, Jackson leaned forward and fell into his arms. Capt. Hotchkiss, who had just returned from a reconnaissance, rode off to find Dr. McGuire, While Capt. Milbourne with a small penknife, ripped up the sleeve of the wounded arm. As he was doing so, Genl. Hill, who had himself been exposed to the North Carolinians, reached the scene, and throwing himself from his horse, pulled off Jackson's gauntlets, which were full of blood, and bandaged the shattered arm with a handkerchief. "General," he said, "are you much hurt?" "I think I am," was the reply; "and all my wounds are from my own men. I believe my right arm is broken." The group of officers decided that the General must be car- ried to the rear, the point now occupied being in front of the lines he had so recently formed.
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Two Federal skirmishers just then appeared in the edge of the thicket, halting only a few steps from the party. Genl. Hill with remarkable self-possession, turned to his escort saying: "Take charge of those men," and two soldiers sprang forward and seized the rifles of the Fed- erals. Lieut. Morrison who had gone down the road to reconnoitre, reported that he had seen a section of artillery unlimbering close at hand. Hill gave orders that the General should be removed, and that no one should tell the men that he was wounded. Jackson lying on Hill's breast, opened his eyes and said: "Tell them simply that you have a wounded Confederate officer." Lieuts. J. P. Smith and Morrison and Capt. Leigh of Hill's staff, now lifted him to his feet, and with their aid he walked a few steps through the trees. But hardly had they gained the road, when the Federal batteries along their whole front, opened a terrible fire of grape and canister. The storm of bullets, tearing through the foliage, was too high; and the three young officers laying the General down by the roadside, endeavored to shield him by lying between him and the leaden hail. The author has known Capt. Jas. P. Smith, the young officer mentioned, intimately since the day he was assigned to Genl. Jackson's staff; and has often heard him relate the historic incidents of that terrible night. The hour of removal was full of all the horrors that actual battle could produce. Shot and shell from Federal batteries near at hand, answering the Confederate guns only a few yards distant, produced a scene inde- scribable. The Federals in their last desperate effort to cover their retreat, fought like demons. At this moment Genl. Pender met the group, and recognizing Jackson, was instantly on the ground beside his General, to not only express his grief, but to be instructed what he should do, as his lines were scattered through the thickets by the terrific fire from the Federal artillery, and he feared it would be necessary to fall back. At this moment, says Capt. Smith, "the scene was a fearful one. The air seemed to be alive with the shriek of shells and whistling bullets ; horses riderless and mad with fright, dashed in every direction; hundreds left the ranks and hurried to the rear, and the groans of the wounded and dying mingled with the wild shouts of others to be led again to the as- sault." Almost fainting as he was from loss of blood, desperately wounded, and in the midst of this awful uproar, Jackson's heart was unshaken. The words of Pender seemed to rouse him to life. Pushing aside those who supported him, he raised himself to his full height and answered feebly but distinctly enough to be heard above
the din: "You must hold your ground, General Pender; you must hold to the last sir."
His strength by this time had fully given way and he was helpless. Capt. Leigh had procured a litter upon which he was carried to some safer place. While they were yet in the forest one of the litter bearers was shot in the arm. He loosened his hold so suddenly that the General was thrown to the ground falling on his crushed arm. Capt. Smith quickly raised his head and said : "General are you seriously hurt?" "No, Mr. Smith, don't trouble yourself about me," he replied quietly, and added something about winning the battle first and then giving atten- tion to the wounded. He was again lifted to the litter and carried several hundred yards with no cessation of the shells falling along their path- way. Dr. Hunter McGuire, his medical direc- tor, was there with an ambulance to meet him. Dr. McGuire knelt down beside him and said: "I hope you are not badly hurt, General." He quietly replied: "I am badly injured, Doctor, and I fear I am dying;" and then added, "I am glad you have come; I think the wound in my shoulder is still bleeding." After rearranging the bandage, he was placed in the ambulance beside a wounded officer, Col. Crutchfield. The ambulance was slowly driven through the fields from which he had so recently driven Hooker's right wing. Arriving at the field hospital, Dr. McGuire administered necessary stimulants to bring reaction, the General having suffered seri- ous collapse from loss of blood, suffering, and the trying strain. Dr. McGuire says in a letter on this subject, written shortly after he ampu- tated the General's arm: "That after reaching the hospital, he was carried to a tent and placed in bed, covered with blankets, and another drink of whiskey and water given him. Two hours and a half elapsed before sufficient reaction took place to warrant an examination; and at 2 o'clock on Sunday morning chloroform was adminis- tered and the left arm amputated about two inches below the shoulder. About half-past three Col. Pendleton arrived at the hospital. He stated that General Hill had been wounded and that the troops were in great disorder. General Stuart was in command, and had sent him to see the General. At first I declined to permit an interview, but Pendleton urged that the safety of the army and success of the cause depended upon his seeing him. When he entered the tent, the General said: "Well, Major, I am glad to see you; I thought you were killed." Pendleton briefly explained the position of affairs; gave Stuart's message, and asked what should be done. Jackson was at once interested and asked in his quick way several questions. When they were answered, he remained quiet, evidently try-
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