Chancellorsville

CHANCELLORSVILLE, The Battle of.

The Chancellorsville campaign included the bat tle of Chancellorsville, 1-3 May 1863, the action at Marye's Heights, 3 May 1863, and the en gagement at Salem Church, 3 and 4 May 1863. In the fore part of April 1863 the Army of the Potomac, under General Hooker, and the Army of Northern Virginia, General Lee, confronted each other on opposite sides of the Rappahan nock at Fredericksburg. Lee was so strongly entrenched on the south side of the river from Port Royal on the right to Banks' Ford on the left, a distance of 25 miles, that an attack on his front was not to be thought of, and Hooker concluded to march his cavalry far beyond and around Lee's left, destroy his communications with Richmond and compel him to leave Fred ericksburg, when he proposed to fall on his flank and rear as he fell back. For this pur pose General Stoneman with 10,000 cavalry was put in motion, 13 April, under orders to ascend the Rappahannock, cross it west of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, attack Lee's cavalry wherever found, and plant himself firmly across his line of retreat. Stoneman found the Rap pahannock and other streams so swollen by heavy rains that he was compelled to abandon the movement, and Hooker modified his plans. He determined to flank Lee's position and com pel him to come out and fight on open ground of Hooker's own choosing. Lee had, in and around Fredericksburg, exclusive of cavalry, about 60,000 men and 170 guns; the two divi sions of McLaws and R. H. Anderson of Long street's corps, and Jackson, with the divisions of A. P. Hill and D. H. Hill, commanded by R. E. Rodes; Trimble, commanded by R. E Colston and J. A. Early. Hooker had, not in cluding his 12,000 cavalry, about 118,000 men and 380 guns, divided into seven corps: First, Gen. J. F. Reynolds; Second, D. N. Couch; Third, D. E. Sickles; Fifth, George G. Meade; Sixth, John Sedgwick; Eleventh, O. O. How ard; Twelfth, H. W. Slocum. Both armies were in the best of condition. On the 27th the Elev enth and Twelfth corps marched for Kelly's Ford, 25 miles up the Rappahannock, arriving on the 28th, and being joined by the Fifth corps, all crossed the river next morning, the Eleventh and Twelfth corps marching for Germanna Ford on the Rapidan, the Fifth corps for Ely's Ford, lower down the same stream. Pleasan ton's cavalry brigade accompanied the two columns. Some opposition was met at the fords, and at 2 P.M. of the 30th, after some sharp encounters with Stuart's cavalry, on the Germanna road, the three corps united at Chan cellorsville, 11 miles west of Fredericksburg, and were joined the same day by two divisions of the Second corps, under Couch, which had crossed the Rappahannock at United States Ford, the Third•corps also being near. The cavalry was thrown out on the roads toward Fredericksburg and Spottsylvania. Hooker had concentrated with great ability 71,000 men on Lee's left and joined them before night Mahone's and Posey's brigades of Anderson's Confederate division had been guarding United States Ford; the passage at Germanna Ford turned this position, and the two brigades on the 29th fell back to Chancellorsville, where Anderson had come up with Wright's brigade. Next morning Anderson fell back with the three brigades to near Tabernacle Church, four miles, and began to throw up works covering the roads converging at that point. These movements on Lees left were covered by dem onstrations on his right and front below Fred ericksburg. They began as early as the 21st, and on the 29th Sedgwick, with the First, Third and Sixth corps, moved to points two to four miles below town, threw pontoon bridges across the river and crossed troops to hold them. On the 30th he was ordered to demonstrate on Lee's right down the river, and the Third corps marched by the north bank of the river for Chancellorsville. Sedgwick's movements did not deceive Lee. On the afternoon of the 29th Stuart had informed him that heavy Union columns were marching for the Rapidan, and he ordered Anderson to march with Wright's brigade to Chancellorsville. When informed that Hooker had crossed the Rapidan he or dered McLaws, leaving Barksdale's brigade on Marye's Heights, to march with three brigades, at midnight of the 30th, and take position on Anderson's right. Jackson was ordered with three divisions to Chancellorsville, leaving Early's division with Barksdale's brigade — in all, about 8,500 men and 30 guns — to hold the lines at Fredericksburg against Sedgwick. McLaws arrived on Anderson's right about daylight, and was joined by two of Ander son's brigades from near Banks' Ford. Jack son, marched at 3 o'clock on the morning of 1 May, and came up to Anderson at Tabernacle Church at 8, suspended work on the entrench ments and, at 11 o'clock, ordered McLaws and Anderson forward on the two roads leading to Chancellorsville, his own three divisions follow ing Anderson. Three roads lead from Chan cellorsville to Fredericksburg, the most direct, the old turnpike, passing Salem Church. The second, the plank road, led south from Chan cellorsville, then east, uniting with the turnpike beyond Tabernacle Church. Both these roads were covered by Anderson's works. The third road led northeastward, passed Banks' Ford, about six miles distant, and continued to Fred ericksburg. It was 11 o'clock, 1 May, when Meade pushed out two divisions on the Banks' Ford road and one, Sykes', on the turnpike, under orders to be at or near Banks' Ford at 2 P.M., and at the same hour, 11 A.m., Slocum advanced on the plank road, to be at Taber nacle Church at noon, Hooker's intention being to get out of the Wilderness, uncover Banks Ford, and form for battle in open, elevated country, his right at Tabernacle Church, his left covering Banks' Ford. Meade's left division had come in sight of Banks' Ford; Sykes, sup ported by Hancock's division, Second corps, had encountered McLaws and driven him back nearly to Anderson's works; Slocum, over two miles out, had met Jackson and was sharply skirmishing with him; and all was going well, when Hooker, impressed by the unexpected advance of the enemy, and fearing his own inability to get entirely out of the tangled forest, onto open ground, before being beaten in detail, ordered the columns back to Chancel lorsville, thereby giving up the advantage of position practically gained and losing the con fidence of his corps commanders. Jackson and McLaws followed the retiring troops and felt the lines with skirmishers, and McLaws got guns in position and cannonaded the left of the line. Hooker's line, as completed on the morn ing of the 2d, extended from the Rappahannock on the left to a point on the Germannaplank road full two and a half miles west of Ch,pn cellorsville. The Fifth corps and a division of the Second was on the left, facing east, the right in advance of the Chancellor House. The Twelfth corps was south of the plank road, its left less than one-fourth of a mile in front of the Chancellor House, its right near Hazel Grove, a little over a mile southwest of Chan cellor's. Birney's division of the Third corps was on the right of the Twelfth, and the Eleventh corps continued the line from Dow dall's tavern westward beyond Talley's farm. The works held by the Twelfth, Third and Eleventh corps faced south, those of the Twelfth in form of a bow, the plank road being the string of the bow; those of the Eleventh ran in a straight line generally just south of the road. For nearly the entire distance the line ran through an almost impenetrable forest of scrub-oak and pine. There was a spacious Bearing around the Chancellor House, where Hooker had his headquarters, and open ground around Dowdall's. A division of the Second corps and two of the Third were in reserve. Pleasanton's cavalry was near Chancellor's House. On the evening of 1 May Lee had a conference with Jackson. To attack Hooker's 71,000 men, behind works, with 48,000, was cer tain to entail a terrible loss of life, and it was determined that Jackson, with nearly 30,000 men, infantry, cavalry and artillery, should march across Hooker's front and assail his right flank and rear, Lee remaining with McLaws' and Anderson's 18,000 men to watch his left, demon strate on it, and guard the roads to Fredericks burg. Jackson moved on the morning of the 2d

with his accustomed celerity, and about 4 :30 P.M. his head of column was on Hooker's right and rear, and he began to form line a scant mile from the right flank of the Eleventh corps. His movement had been discovered and misunder stood. As early as 9 o'clock he was seen marching a mile or so to the south; informa tion of the fact was sent to Slocum and How ard, and the instructions to both to strengthen their flanks. Hooker soon came to the con clusion that Lee was retreating, and about 1 P.M. Sickles, at his own request, was ordered to take two divisions of the Third corps, move out and attack, which he did, falling on Jack son's rear at Welford's Furnace, taking some prisoners. Barlow's brigade of the Eleventh corps was sent to Sickles and Pleasanton's cav alry joined him, but the forest was too dense for cavalry operations, and Pleasanton with drew two of his regiments and battery to Hazel Grove, where Sickles had left some of his artillery. Williams' division of the Twelfth corps was sent from its works to form on Sickles' left, attack Anderson's left and roll him back on Chancellorsville. Williams was about to attack when Jackson fell on the flank of the Eleventh corps and went hack to his works. The Eleventh corps was badly posted and, though repeatedly informed by brigade and commanders and picket officers of the gathering enemy on the flank, the superior officers, with one exception, lulled into security by the pleasing reports that Jackson was retreat ing, made no adequate provision against a flank attack, and most of the men were preparing supper when the storm broke. Jackson had formed his 26,000 infantry in three lines across the plank road, a mile on either side of it, artil lery in the road, and a little after 5 o'clock gave the order to advance. The lines advanced with a rush, startling the game in the forest. The Union skirmishers were quickly driven in, and with a wild yell the main Confederate line struck the right brigade of Devens' division, flanked it, and after two or three rounds had been fired it gave way, the enemy following, striking and flanking everything in the way. No troops in the world, so placed, could stay such an attack. Some regiments made heroic stand and fought brilliantly, but in 30 minutes Devens' division of 4,000 men was routed and the Confederates advanced upon Schurz's di vision, which had changed front. Schurz held ground about 20 minutes, and then fell back upon Buschbeck's brigade, east of Dowdall's. Here Schurz rallied some of his men. Busch beck stood three-quarters of an hour, and it was after 7 o'clock, when, attacked in front and flank, he fell back in good order to Fairview, where 40 guns of the Eleventh and Twelfth corps were being massed on high ground in his rear. Howard's corps had been driven two miles in less than two hours, losing nearly 1,500 killed and wounded and 1,000 prisoners. The force of Jackson's attack had spent itself ; his two leading divisions— Rodes' and Colston's had become inextricably mixed; the men were tired and hungry, and Jackson suspended their further advance and ordered A. P. Hill to re lieve them. Meanwhile Hooker had sent Berry's division of the Third corps and Hays' brigade of the Second to the west edge of the open field north of the road; on Berry's right were some of Schurz's regiments; and Wil liams, desisting from his attack on Anderson, regained part of his works and formed south of the road on Berry's left, Buschbeck in his rear. This covered the road at a distance of a little over a half mile west of Chancellor's House. Sickles, when informed of Howard's disaster, fell back from Welford Furnace to Hazel Grove and formed on Pleasanton's left. Barlow drew up in Pleasanton's rear, all close to Williams' left and front. The two Confed erate lines fell back to the open ground around Dowdall's, to re-form, and A. P. Hill was brought up and his leading brigade pushed along the plank road beyond the intersection of a road leading left to White House, and United States Ford, the road to be taken by Hill to cut off Hooker's retreat. While Jackson was. reconnoitering on this road, beyond his main line, skirmishing began between the opposing pickets in the woods, and as Jackson, with his staff and orderlies, was riding back, the mounted body was mistaken for Union cavalry and fired into, Jackson (about 9:20 P.M.) was wounded in three places, both arms being shat tered. Nearly the entire escort were also killed or wounded. Jackson died 10 May. At the sound of the firing in the woods the Union guns on Fairview opened a furious fire down the plank road, causing some confusion to the Con federate column on it. During this fire A. P. Hill, next in command, was wounded; the intended advance was suspended, and Gen. J. E. B. Stuart was sent for to take command. During the night and early morning some changes were made in the Union line by which the approaches on the right to the United States Ford were covered by Reynolds' corps and part of Meade's, and the Eleventh corps took posi tion on the extreme left vacated by Meade. At 9 P.M. Hooker, not knowing 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 and attack Lee's rear at daylight, 3 May, while he attacked in front. Pleasanton and Sickles were ordered to fall back from Hazel Grove at dawn. Pleas anton marched back at 4 o'clock, and Sickles was following when his rear was caught by the oncoming Confederate line. Stuart, who had assumed command of Jackson's corps, advanced at 5 o'clock, 3 May, with great impetuosity, his right attacking Sickles as his rear brigade was about retiring from Hazel Grove. The brigade was soon driven, four guns were captured and Stuart swept on. Thirty Confederate guns were put in position at Hazel Grove which swept the open ground of Fairview and poured an enfilading fire on the right of Geary's di vision of the Twelfth corps, which was fighting Anderson, and at the same time Geary's left was being pounded by McLaws' guns. The bat tle now became fierce along the entire line of the Second, Third and Twelfth corps. On the right Stuart's men fought French's division of the Second corps and the three divisions of the Third taking the Union works, being driven from them and retaking them. Williams was fighting Stuart's right, Geary of the Twelfth corps was desperately engaging Anderson, and on his left, covering Fredericksburg road, Han cock's division of the Second corps was resist ing the fierce attacks of McLaws. Stuart grad ually gained ground and united his right with Anderson's left near Hazel Grove. The Union ammunition began to fail, and finally, about 9 o'clock, French, of the Second corps, the Third corps and Williams' division of the Twelfth, after frightful losses, began to fall back, and the Confederates gained the west of the Chancellor plateau and swept it with ar tillery. A cannon-shot struck a pillar of the Chancellor House against which Hooker was leaning. He was knocked down and stunned, and Couch, who was second in command, was instructed by Hooker to withdraw to a position, already selected, about three-fourths of a mile north of the Chancellor House, and covering United States Ford. The right and centre, closelypressed, fought their way back; Geary, attacked in front, right flank and rear, fol lowed; Hancock followed Geary; before noon the troops were in the new position, and here the battle of Chancellorsville proper ended, for, before Lee had completed preparations to re new his attack, he heard of the capture of Fredericksburg and Marye's Heights and the advance of Sedgwick. Suspending further operations against Hooker, he turned his atten tion to Sedgwick, sending McLaws' division to oppose him.