with lee in virginia-第52章

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hours　one　of　Stuart's　horsemen　brought　the　news　that　Hooker　had

crossed　the　Rappahannock　at　Kelley's　Ford　and　the　Rapi　Ian　at

Ely's　Ford。　　Lee　at　once　left　one　division　to　face　General　Sedgwick；

and　ordered　the　three　others　to　join　General　Anderson；　who　with

8；000　men　had　fallen　back　before　Hooker's　advance；　and　taken　his

post　at　Tabernacle　Church；　about　halfway　between　Fredericksburg

and　Tabernacle。　　Lee　himself　rode　forward　at　once　and　joined

Anderson。



　Jackson　led　the　force　from　Fredericksburg；　and　pressed　the　enemy

back　toward　Chancellorsville　until　he　approached　the　tremendous

lines　of　fortifications；　and　then　fell　back　to　communicate　with　Lee。　

That　night　a　council　of　war　was　held；　and　it　was　agreed　that　an

attack　upon　the　front　of　the　enemy's　position　was　absolutely

impossible。　　Hooker　himself　was　so　positive　that　his　position　was

impregnable　that　he　issued　a　general　order　of　congratulation　to　his

troops；　saying　that　〃the　enemy　must　now　ingloriously　fly　or　give　us

battle　on　our　own　ground；　where　certain　destruction　awaits　him。〃



Jackson　then　suggested　that　he　should　work　right　round　the

Wilderness　in　front　of　the　enemy's　position；　march　down　until　well

on　its　flank；　and　attack　it　there；　where　they　would　be　unprepared

for　an　assault。　　The　movement　was　one　of　extraordinary　peril。　　Lee

would　be　left　with　but　one　division　in　face　of　an　immensely

superior　force；　Jackson　would　have　to　perform　an　arduous　march

exposed　to　an　attack　by　the　whole　force　of　the　enemy；　and　both

might　be　destroyed　separately　without　being　able　to　render　the

slightest　assistance　to　each　other。　　At　daybreak　on　the　2d　of　May

Jackson　mustered　his　troops　for　the　advance　He　had　in　the　course

of　the　night　caught　a　severe　cold。　In　the　hasty　march　he　had　left　his

blankets　behind　him。　One　of　his　staff　threw　a　heavy　cape　over　him

as　he　lay　on　the　wet　ground。　　During　the　night　Jackson　woke；　and

thinking　that　the　young　officer　might　himself　be　suffering　from　the

want　of　his　cape；　rose　quietly；　spread　the　cape　over　him；　and　lay

down　without　it。　　The　consequence　was　a　severe　cold；　which

terminated　in　an　attack　of　pneumonia　that；　occurring　at　a　time

when　he　was　enfeebled　by　his　wounds；　resulted　in　his　death。　　If　he

had　not　thrown　that　cape　over　the　officer　it　is　probable　that　he

would　have　survived　his　wounds。



At　daybreak　the　column　commenced　its　march。　　It　had　to　traverse　a

narrow　and　unfrequented　road　through　dense　thickets；　occasionally

crossing　ground　in　sight　of　the　enemy；　and　at　the　end　to　attack　a

tremendous　position　held　by　immensely　superior　forces。　　Stuart

with　his　cavalry　moved　on　the　flank　of　the　column　whenever　the

ground　was　open；　so　as　to　conceal　the　march　of　the　infantry　from

the　enemy。　As　the　rear　of　the　column　passed　a　spot　called　the

Furnace；　the　enemy　suddenly　advanced　and　cut　off　the　23d

Georgia；　who　were　in　the　rear　of　the　column；　and　captured　the

whole　regiment　with　the　exception　of　a　score　of　men。　　At　this　point

the　road　turned　almost　directly　away　from　Chancellorsville；　and

the　enemy　believed　that　the　column　was　in　full　retreat；　and　had　not

the　least　idea　of　its　real　object。



So　hour　after　hour　the　troops　pressed　on　until　they　reached　the

turnpike　road　passing　east　and　west　through　Chancellorsville；

which　now　lay　exactly　between　them　and　the　point　that　they　had

left　in　the　morning。　　Jackson's　design　was　to　advance　upon　this　line

of　road；　to　extend　his　troops　to　the　left　and　then　to　swing　round；

cut　the　enemy's　retreat　to　the　fords；　and　capture　them　all。　　Hooker

had　already　been　joined　by　two　of　Sedgwick's　army　corps；　and　had

now　six　army　corps　at　Chancelloraville；　while　Jackson's　force

consisted　of　22；000　men。　　Lee　remained　with　13；000　at

Tabernacle。　　The　latter　general　had　not　been　attacked；　but　had

continued　to　make　demonstrations　against　the　Federal　left；

occupying　their　attention　and　preventing　them　from　discovering

how　large　a　portion　of　his　force　had　left　him。



It　was　at　five　o'clock　in　the　evening　that　Jackson's　troops；　having

gained　their　position；　advanced　to　the　attack。　　In　front　of　them　lay

Howard's　division　of　the　Federals；　intrenched　in　strong　earthworks

covered　by　felld　trees；　but　the　enemy　were　altogether　unsuspicious

of　danger；　and　it　was　not　until　with　tumultuous　cheers　the

Confederates　dashed　through　the　trees　and　attacked　the

entrenchment　that　they　had　any　suspicion　of　their　presence。　They

ran　to　their　arms；　but　it　was　too　late。　　The　Confederates　rushed

through　the　obstacles；　climbed　the　earthworks；　and　carried　those　in

front　of　them；　capturing　700　prisoners　and　five　guns。　　The　rest　of

the　Federal　troops　here；　throwing　away　muskets　and　guns；　fled　in

wild　confusion。　　Steadily　the　Confederates　pressed　on；　driving　the

enemy　before　them；　and　capturing　position　after　position；　until　the

whole　right　wing　of　the　Federal　army　was　routed　and　disorganized。　

For　three　hours　the　Confederates　continued　their　march　without　a

check；　but　owing　to　the　denseness　of　the　wood；　and　the　necessity

of　keeping　the　troops　in　line；　the　advance　was　slow；　and　night　fell

before　the　movement　could　be　completed。　　One　more　hour　of

daylight　and　the　whole　Federal　army　would　have　been　cut　off　and

captured；　but　by　eight　o'clock　the　darkness　in　the　forest　was　so

complete　that　all　movement　had　to　be　stopped。



Half　an　hour　later　one　of　the　saddest　incidents　of　the　war　took

place。　　General　Jackson　with　a　few　of　his　staff　wont　forward　to

reconnoiter。　　As　he　returned　toward　his　lines；　his　troops　in　the　dark

mistook　them　for　a　reconnoitering　party　of　the　enemy　and　fired；

killing　or　wounding　the　whole　of　them；　General　Jackson　receiving

three　balls。　　The　enemy；　who　were　but　a　hundred　yards　distant；　at

once　opened　a　tremendous　fire　with　grape　toward　the　spot；　and　it

was　some　time　before　Jackson　could　be　carried　off　the　field。　　The

news　that　their　beloved　general　was　wounded　was　for　some　time

kept　from　the　troops；　but　a　whisper　gradually　spread；　and　the　grief

of　his　soldiers　was　unbounded；　for　rather　would　they　have　suffered

a　disastrous　defeat　than　that　Stonewall　Jackson　should　have　fallen。



General　Stuart　assumed　the　command；　General　Hill；　who　was

second　in　command；　having；　with　many　other　officers；　been

wounded　by　the　tremendous　storm　of　grape　and　canister　that　the

Federals　poured　through　the　wood　when　they　anticipated　an

attack。　　At　daybreak　the　troops　again　moved　forward　in　three　lines；

Stuart　placing　his　thirty　guns　on　a　slight　ridge；　where　they　could

sweep　the　lines　of　the　Federal　defenses。　　Three　times　the　position

was　won　and　lost；　but　the　Confederates　fought　with　such　fury　and

resolution；　shouting　each　time　they　charged　the　Federal　ranks

〃Remember　Jackson；〃　that　the　enemy　gradually　gave　way；　and　by

ten　o'clock　Chancelloraville　itself　was　taken；　the　Federals　being

driven　back　into　the　forest　between　the　houses　and　the　river。



Lee　had　early　in　the　morning　begun　to　advance　from　his　side　to　the

attack；　but　just　as　he　was　moving　forward　the　news　came　that

Sedgwick　had　recrossed　at　Fredericksburg；　captured　a　portion　of

the　Confederate　force　there；　and　was　advancing　to　join　Hooker。　

He　at　once　sent　two　of　his　three　little　divisions　to　join　the

Confederates　who　were　opposing　Sedgwick's　advance；　while　with

the　three　or　four　thousand　men　remaining　to　him；　he　all　day　made

feigned　attacks　upon　the　enemy's　position；　occupying　their

attention　there；　and　preventing　them　from　sending　reinforcements

to　the　troops　engaged　with　Stuart。　　At　night　he　himself　hurried

away；　took　the　command　of　the　troops　opposed　to　Sedgwick；

attacked　him　vigorously　at　daybreak；　and　drove　him　with　heavy

loss　back　across　the　river。　　The　next　day　he　marched　back　with　his

force　to　join　in　the　final　attack　upon　the　Federals；　but　when　the

troops　of　Stuart　and　Lee　moved　forward　they　encountered　no

opposition。　　Hooker　had　begun　to　carry　his　troops　across　the　river

on　the　night　he　was　hurled　back　out　of　Chancellorsville；　and　the

rest　of　his　troops　had　crossed　on　the　two　following　nights。



General　Hooker　issued　a　pompous　order　to　his　troop。　after　getting

across　the　river；　to　the　effect　that　the　movement　had　met　with　the

complete　success　he　had　anticipated　from　it；　but　the　truth　soon

leaked　out。　　General　Sedgwick's　force　had　lost　6；000　men；

Hooker's　own　command　fully　20；000　more；　but　splendid　as　the

success　was；　it　was　dearly　purchased　by　the　Confederates　at　the

price　of　the　life　of　Stonewall　Jackson。　　His　arm　was　amputated　the

day　after　the　battle；　he　lived　for　a　week；　and　died　not　so　much

from　the　effect　of　his　wounds　as　from　the　pneumonia；　the　result　of

his　exposure　to　the　heavy　dew　on　the　night　preceding　his　march

through　the　Wilderness。



During　the　two　days'　fighting　Vincent　Wingfield　had　discharged

his　duties　upon　General　Stuart's　staff。　　On　the　first　day　the　work

had　been　slight；　for　General　Stuart；　with　the　cannon；　remained　in

the　rear；　while　Jackson's　infantry　attacked　and　carried　the　Federal

retrenchments。　　Upon　the　second　day；　however；　when　Stuart

assumed　the　command；　Vincent's　duties　had　been　onerous　and

dangerous　in　the　extreme。　　He　was　constantly　carrying　orders　from

one　part　of　the　field　to　the　other；　amid　such　a　shower　of　shot　and

shell　that　it　seemed　marvelous　that　any　one　could　exist　within　it。　

To　his　great　grief　Wildfire　was　killed　under　him；　but　he　himself

escaped　without　a　scratch。　When　he　came　afterward　to　try　to

describe　the　battle　to　those　at　home　he　could　give　no　account　of　it。



〃To　me；〃　he　said；　〃it　was　simply　a　chaos　of　noise　and　confusion。　

Of　what　was　going　on　I　knew　nothing。　　The　din　was　appalling。　

The　roar　of　the　shells；　the　hum　of　grape　and　canister；　the　whistle　of

bullets；　the　shouts　of　the　men；　formed　a　mighty　roar　that　seemed

to　render　thinking　impossible。　　Showers　of　leaves　fell　incessantly；

great　boughs　of　trees　were　shorn　away；　and　trees　themselves

sometimes　came　crashing　down　as　a　trunk　was　struck　full　by　a

shell。　　The　undergrowth　had　caught　fire；　and　the　thick　smoke；

mingled　with　that　of　the　battle；　rendered　it　difficult　to　see　or　to

breathe。　　I　had　but　one　thought；　that　of　making　my　way　through　the

trees；　of　finding　the　corps　to　which　I　was　sent；　of　delivering　my

message；　and　finding　the　general　again。　　No；　I　don't　think　I　had

much　thought　of　danger；　the　whole　thing　was　somehow　so

tremendous　that　one　had　no　thought　whatever　for　one's　self。　　It　was

a　sort　of　terrible　dream；　in　which　one　was　possessed　of　the　single

idea　to　get　to　a　certain　place。　　It　was　not　till　at　last　we　swept　across

the　open　ground　down　to　the　house；　that　I　seemed　to　take　any

distinct　notice　of　what　was　going　on　around　me。　　Then；　for　the　first

time；　the　exulting　shouts　of　the　men；　and　the　long　lines　advancing

at　the　double；　woke　me　up　to　the　fact　that　we　had　gained　one　of　the

most　wonderful　victories　in　history；　and　had　driven　an　army　of

four　or　five　times　our　own　strength　from　a　po