CHAPTER XXX.Splendid Condition of the Army.—Gen. Hooker’s Programme.—A Forward Movement.—Battles of Chancellorsville and Vicinity.—Jackson turns Hooker’s Right Wing.—Operations below Fredericksburg.—Strategy.—Address from the Commanding General.—The Washington Estate.—Crossing the Rappahannock.
Splendid Condition of the Army.—Gen. Hooker’s Programme.—A Forward Movement.—Battles of Chancellorsville and Vicinity.—Jackson turns Hooker’s Right Wing.—Operations below Fredericksburg.—Strategy.—Address from the Commanding General.—The Washington Estate.—Crossing the Rappahannock.
Winter had now passed, and the warm, genial days of April were fast drying up the roads, and rendering the resumption of operations practicable. Four months had rolled away since the bloody struggle under Burnside, during which the army had recuperated its energies, recovered itsmorale, and been reinforced by numerous accessions of troops. Believing, with Frederick the Great, that a soldier’s pluck lies in his stomach, Gen. Hooker had added fresh bread, potatoes and other esculents to the already substantial bill of fare, thereby putting his men in the best of fighting trim; and they, in turn, had come to cherish a certain regard for and confidence in him, shouting like the Portuguese under Crawford, “Long live the General who takes care of our bellies.”
The army was ripe for offensive movements. The long weeks of inactivity had afforded the General commanding ample time for reviewing the situation, deciding upon a plan of attack, and completing the necessary preparations.
About the middle of the month marching orders were issued to the troops, but were immediately rescinded, owing to a furious storm which arose and prevailed for two days. The elements again becoming propitious, on Monday and Tuesday, April 27th and 28th, the various Army Corps left their snug winter quarters and moved towards the Rappahannock. The programme decided upon was this: while a portion of the army crossed below Fredericksburg, and diverted the attention of the enemy, the remainder were to proceed up the river, and turning their left wing, occupy a position directly in the rear of the rebel works. At the same time Gen. Stoneman, taking nearly the entire body of our cavalry, was to make his way down through the State by the Culpepper route, and circling round to the railroad, destroy the bridges over the North and South Anna rivers, less than twenty miles from Richmond.
After the seventy-five thousand men thrown in the rear had attacked and defeated the enemy, the fifty thousand at Fredericksburg were to press forward likewise, engage them, and cut off the way of retreat towards Richmond. This comprehensive and masterly plan—substantially the same as Gen. Burnside’s last—must, if it had proven successful, have accomplished no less than its author intended, the total destruction of Gen. Lee’s army; but, alas! Jackson had not then received his death wound.
The Second Corps, Couch’s; Fifth, Meade’s; Eleventh, Howard’s; and Twelfth, Slocum’s; marched to the upper fords of the Rappahannock,and meeting with but little opposition, most of the force moved forward, and by Thursday night were massed in the vicinity of Chancellorsville, after having travelled a distance of thirty-six miles. On Friday, Gen. Hooker, who accompanied this wing of the army, formed the troops in a line of battle, of a triangular or Redan shape, resting with its wings respectively on the Rappahannock, between Banks’ and United States Fords and Hunting Creek—an affluent of the Rappahannock—and having its apex at Chancellorsville, in the rear of Fredericksburg. The events which followed we shall allude to briefly, reserving our main description for those operations in which the Thirty-third were concerned.
During the day reconnoitring forces were sent on the roads leading to Fredericksburg, to “feel” the enemy, and likewise learn the topography of the region. All night Friday, parties were engaged in felling trees, clearing away the tangled thickets, and constructing abatis. Saturday, Howard’s Corps was posted on the extreme right; then a Division of Sickles’ Corps (3), which had come up; then Slocum; then Couch; then Meade on the left; Humphrey’s Division of Meade’s Corps holding the extreme left. Several unsuccessful attempts were made by the enemy during the day to pierce the lines, but about four o’clock in the afternoon, Jackson suddenly hurled forty thousand men upon Howard’s Corps, which fell back in confusion. The Second Division of the Third Corps was immediately wheeled around to the rescue, and succeeded in recovering some of the lost ground, but the right ofthe line was completely turned. This success of the enemy placed Gen. Sickles, who had pushed forward in front with the remaining two Divisions of the Third Corps, in a very precarious condition, nearly severing his connection with the remainder of the army. Gen. Hooker now decided upon a night attack, which, though terrible and bloody, as the engagement through the afternoon had been, resulted in victory. The enemy were driven full half a mile, and the lines re-formed on the left, much in the same manner as they had been before.
The First Army Corps, which had arrived from Falmouth, and the Fifth, were posted as a new line, while the disorganized Eleventh was transferred to the left. About 5½ o’clock Sunday morning, the enemy came down the plank road leading from Chancellorsville, and made a furious onslaught. The engagement soon became general, and for five hours the roar of artillery and sharp rattle of musketry resounded through the forest. Our batteries were posted on commanding positions, and made great havoc among the enemy as they advanced to the conflict.
About ten o’clock the lines were contracted and re-formed in the vicinity of the clearing, which, together with a single house, constituted all of Chancellorsville. During the remainder of the day the enemy made several attempts to break them, but were each time repulsed. Here the army remained on the defensive, in a strongly entrenched position, until the following Tuesday evening, when it retreated, and safely re-crossed the Rappahannock.
Returning now to the other wing of the army, the First Corps, Gen. Reynolds, Third, Gen. Sickles, and Sixth, Gen. Sedgwick, proceeded, on the afternoon of the 28th, to the dense woods back of the point where Gen. Franklin crossed the river in December, and bivouacked for the night. The Thirty-third, which was on picket Tuesday, when the Sixth Corps broke camp, having gone out the day previous, was ordered in at two o’clock P. M., and in a half hour’s time completed their preparations for departure. The sick had previously been sent to the Corps Hospital, which had been established at Potomac Creek Bridge, and placed in charge of Surgeon Dickinson. All clothing and camp equipage, not absolutely necessary, were sent to Belle Plain, in charge of Quartermaster Alexander, and the haversacks and knapsacks, loaded down with rations, of which the troops were ordered to have eight days’ supply. The time for their departure northward was drawing rapidly near, and for days the men had been making themselves merry over the prospect of soon being with the loved ones at home, after two long years absence. Under such circumstances they could hardly have been expected to enter upon the new movement with much heart or spirit. Instead, however, of flinching from the fresh duties imposed upon them, they stepped with alacrity to their places when Col. Taylor, who had now resumed command of his Regiment, gave the order to “fall in,” eager to strike one more blow for their country—add one more laurel to the wreath of honor which encircled the name of the gallant Thirty-third.
Leaving the now grass-green crest, where so many pleasant weeks had been spent, the Regiment wended its way down the sloping sides, through the fields on the left, and crossing the main thoroughfare near White-Oak Church, entered the forest. An hour’s march brought them to a small clearing, where a halt for a few moments was ordered, and the men stretched themselves out on the green turf. Again entering the woods, they pursued a circuitous course, through dense thickets, across deep ravines and over treacherous bogs, until the Division was overtaken at dusk, close to the spot where the Regiment had encamped after re-crossing the river in the winter. Fires not being permitted, the men were obliged to dispense with coffee, and sup as best they could on “hard tack” and ham, after which the light shelter tents were spread and, they betook themselves to rest. The “Light Brigade” of the same Division was employed during the night in getting the pontoons down near to the river.
Instead of being drawn on noisy, rumbling trucks, as heretofore, they were quietly conveyed on the men’s shoulders, who tugged away lustily at them until between three and four o’clock in the morning, Wednesday, when they were launched in the river. So stealthily had the operations been conducted, that the enemy’s pickets did not sound the alarm, until they saw boat loads of armed men approaching. They had time to fire only two or three volleys, and then fled. Russell’s Brigade was the first to reach the opposite bank, and rapidly clambering up its sides,started in pursuit of the astonished rebels. The officer of the picket line was found fast asleep in bed, and on being brought over, entreated us not to exchange him, “for if you do,” he said, “I shall surely be shot for having been caught napping.” Col. Irwin, of the Forty-ninth Pennsylvania, and some eight or ten others, were wounded in the crossing. Two bridges were lain, in the identical positions occupied last year, and Brooks’ Division of the Sixth Corps thrown over.
Later in the morning, five companies of the Fiftieth New York, Engineers, proceeded one mile and a quarter below, and commenced throwing two other bridges. Troops from Meredith’s (Iron) Brigade of Gen. Wads worth’s Division, First Corps, dashed over in boats, and charging up the bank, took nearly all of the enemy prisoners, who were firing from behind earthworks and rifle-pits. The Twenty-fourth Michigan, Col. Marrow, led this gallant charge, followed by the Sixth Wisconsin. Some of the rebels who escaped took refuge in a house close by, but our guns immediately being turned upon it, they scampered from the building as fast as their legs could carry them, provoking round after round of laughter from our boys. The whole of Wadsworth’s Division crossed, the General not waiting for the bridges to be completed, but fearlessly swimming his horse over. Troops now began to debouch at various points from the forest, and reaching the flats along the river, halted and stacked arms. The Thirty-third, together with the other Regiments of Howe’s Division, breakfasted early, and descending to the plain about nineo’clock, halted at the same spot where it had lain during the day preceding the crossing last year under Burnside. The sky was of a leaden, wintry gray, and a stiff breeze was blowing.
CROSSING THE RAPPAHANNOCK.The Advance of the Sixth Corps.
CROSSING THE RAPPAHANNOCK.
The Advance of the Sixth Corps.
The whole of the Sixth Corps, with the exception of Brooks’ Division, now over the river, were massed here, and the First Corps, with the exception of Wadsworth’s Division, near the two lower bridges, while the Third, Gen. Sickles, remained back on the hills and in the woods in the rear.
Can it be? was the question which trembled on every lip, that we are again to be recklessly hurled against that amphitheatre of hills, before which five thousand of our number fell last year? So it seemed. The three entire Corps could not be designed for a mere feint movement? But when no more troops were crossed over, and on the following day a series of marches and countermarches were ordered, all gloomy forebodings were dispelled, for we then knew that the appearance of the three Corps here was for a ruse, though on a large scale, to attract the attention of the enemy, while the force above moved to their rear. The appearance by noon of two heavy lines of the enemy on the old battle-field, now a beautiful carpet of green, proved that the strategy had been successful.
As fast as their numerous regiments arrived from above or below, they descended the hills and formed in line at the foot to receive us. There they remained in position for hours; but seeing no disposition to advance on our part, large numbers, dropping back in the woods, swarmed like bees inthe tree-tops to scrutinize our movements, and ascertain, if possible, “what we were about that we did not come on.” Gen. Sedgwick, who had charge of this wing of the army, continued to march and counter-march the troops in view of the enemy. Forming on the crest of the hills, they would move down in solid columns to the bridges, as if to cross, but instead of crossing, quietly draw back through a gully, and in a half hour’s time be descending the hill again. This series of manœuvres led the enemy to suppose that our entire army was here. The disappearance, however, of most of the rebel infantry from our front, on Friday morning, indicated that they had divined our strategy—not, however, until it had accomplished the purpose intended, as the reading of the following order showed:
Headquarters Army of the Potomac, Near Falmouth, April 30, 1863.It is with heartfelt satisfaction that the General Commanding announces to the army that the operations of the last three days have determined that our enemy must ingloriously fly, or come out from behind their defences and give us battle on our own ground, where certain destruction awaits them. The operations of the Fifth, Eleventh and Twelfth Corps have been a series of splendid successes.By command ofMAJOR-GENERAL HOOKER.S. Williams, Adjutant-General.
Headquarters Army of the Potomac, Near Falmouth, April 30, 1863.
It is with heartfelt satisfaction that the General Commanding announces to the army that the operations of the last three days have determined that our enemy must ingloriously fly, or come out from behind their defences and give us battle on our own ground, where certain destruction awaits them. The operations of the Fifth, Eleventh and Twelfth Corps have been a series of splendid successes.
By command of
MAJOR-GENERAL HOOKER.
S. Williams, Adjutant-General.
While the enemy had delayed in our front, our right wing had reached Chancellorsville.
The reading of these brief lines to the various Regiments occasioned the wildest enthusiasm, and cheer after cheer was given for “Fighting Joe.” While waiting orders on the flats, elegant swords were presented to Captains Cole and Gifford by their respective Companies. The Colonel made a brief address, urging them to wield these new weapons manfully in the coming strife.
Just at nightfall the enemy opened a heavy fire on the lower bridges and the infantry on the opposite bank, killing and wounding some thirty of them. Our guns replied with much spirit, until darkness put an end to the conflict. The rebels used one heavy Whitworth gun, which was planted four miles away, and fired with a most uncomfortable precision.
Friday was a day of comparative quiet, there being no infantry and but very little artillery firing. The enemy’s pickets were posted along the Bowling Green road, while heavy reinforcements from Richmond could be seen moving over the hills towards Chancellorsville. Gen. Sickles’ Corps moved up the river to reinforce Hooker.
During the afternoon, members of the Regiment improved the inactivity to visit the old Washington Estate, situated down the river, about a mile in the rear of the lower bridges. The story of little George cutting down his father’s apple tree with his new hatchet, is familiar to every one. The exact spot where the tree stood is pointed out, and the green on whichthe Father of his Country played and wantoned in his childhood. The Estate has descended to the Fitzhughs, who abandoned it on our appearance here last fall. Their son, a Captain in the Confederate service, was killed on Wednesday, when the Iron Brigade crossed the river.
Saturday morning found our troops posted in about the same position as the day previous, the Thirty-third still remaining encamped on the flats. About half-past seven a rebel battery, planted during the night in front of the ruins of the Bernard House, tossed a couple of shells among the pickets, who were playing ball. This was immediately followed by their ten-pound Parrots, planted on the crest, three-quarters of a mile below, which again concentrated a rapid fire on the lower bridges and Wadsworth’s Division. They were, however, soon silenced by our heavy guns. Occasional skirmishing continued through the day. Towards evening, Gen. Brooks discovered bodies of the enemy moving along the hills, as if to fall upon our right. When, however, he perceived, a few moments later, that the head of the column was directed towards Chancellorsville, he became satisfied that Gen. Lee was withdrawing all his infantry from our front, and immediately ordered the skirmish line forward. The “Light Brigade,” which was then in front, advanced, flanked the enemy’s pickets and drove them in fine style half a mile beyond the Bowling Green road. Scattered along the turnpike were found knapsacks, canteens and several “dummeys,” or pickets of straw.
The lower crossing had now been abandoned, and Gen. Sedgwick sent the First Corps likewise up the river to reinforce Hooker, leaving only the Sixth Corps below Fredericksburg. Immediately on our obtaining possession of the Bowling Green turnpike, Howe’s and Newton’s, the two remaining Divisions of the Corps, passed over the bridges.