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cavalry；　and　the　frequent　attempts　made　by　the　Federal　horse　to

push　across　to　obtain　information　were　always　defeated。



On　the　27th　of　April　General　Hooker's　preparations　were　complete。　

His　plan　of　action　was　that　20；000　men　should　cross　the　river　near

the　old　battlefield　of　Fredericksburg；　and　thus　lead　the

Confederates　to　believe　that　this　was　the　point　of　attack。　　The　main

body　were；　however；　to　cross　at　Kelley's　Ford；　many　miles　higher

up　the　river；　and　to　march　down　toward　Fredericksburg。　　The　other

force　was　then　to　recross；　march　up　the　river；　cross　at　Kelley's

Ford；　and　follow　and　join　the　main　army。　　At　the　same　time　the

Federal　cavalry；　which　was　very　numerous　and　well…organized；

was；　under　General　Stoneman；　to　strike　down　through　the　country

toward　Richmond；　and　thus　cut　the　Confederate　communication

with　their　capital；　and　so　prevent　Longstreet's　division；　which　was

lying　near　Richmond；　from　rejoining　Lee。



The　passage　of　the　river　was　effected　at　the　two　fords　without

resistance　on　the　29th　of　April；　and　upon　the　same　day　the　cavalry

column　marched　south。　　General　Lee　directed　a　portion　of　his

cavalry　under　General　Fitz　Lee　to　harass　and　delay　this　column　as

much　as　possible。　Although　he　had　with　him　but　a　few　hundred

men；　he　succeeded　in　doing　good　service　in　cutting　off　detached

bodies　of　the　enemy；　capturing　many　officers　and　men；　and　so

demoralizing　the　invaders　that；　after　pushing　on　as　far　as　the　James

River；　Stoneman　had　to　retreat　in　great　haste　across　the　Rapidan

River。



Hooker　having　crossed　the　river；　marched　on　to　Chancellorsville；

where　he　set　to　to　entrench　himself；　having　sent　word　to　General

Sedgwick；　who　commanded　the　force　that　had　crossed　near

Fredericksburg；　to　recross；　push　round；　and　join　as　soon　as

possible。　　Chancellorsville　was　a　large　brick　mansion　standing　in

the　midst　of　fields　surrounded　by　extensive　forests。　　The　country

was　known　as　the　Wilderness。　　Within　a　range　of　many　miles　there

were　only　a　few　scattered　houses；　and　dense　thickets　and

pine…woods　covered　the　whole　country。　　Two　narrow　roads　passed

through　the　woods；　crossing　each　other　at　Chancellorsville；　two

other　roads　led　to　the　fords　known　as　Ely's　Ford　and　the　United

States　Ford。　　As　soon　as　he　reached　Chancellorsville　Hooker　set

his　troops　to　work　cutting　down　trees　and　throwing　up　earthworks

for　infantry　and　redoubts　for　artillery；　erecting　a　double　line　of

defenses。　On　these　he　mounted　upward　of　a　hundred　pieces　of

artillery；　commanding　the　narrow　roads　by　which　an　enemy　must

approach；　for　the　thickets　were　in　many　places　so　…　dense　as　to

render　it　impossible　for　troops　to　force　their　way　through　them。



　When　Sedgwick　crossed　the　river；　Lee　drew　up　his　army　to　oppose

him；　but　finding　that　no　more　troops　crossed；　and　that　Sedgwick

did　not　advance；　he　soon　came　to　the　conclusion　that　this　was　not

the　point　at　which　the　enemy　intended　to　attack；　and　in　twenty…four

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　so