Chancellorsville and Gettysburg | Page 5

then crossed and threw up tête
du ponts. The enemy made no other opposition than a vigorous shelling
by their guns on the heights, which did but little damage. A
considerable number of these missiles were aimed at my division and at
that of General J. C. Robinson, which were held in reserve on the north
side of the river; but as our men were pretty well sheltered, there were
but few casualties.
It soon became evident that the enemy would not attack the bridge
heads, they being well guarded by artillery on the north bank, so
Sickles' corps was detached on the 30th and ordered to
Chancellorsville.
Sedgwick used the remainder of his men to great advantage by
marching them back and forth among the hills in such a way as to lead
Lee to suppose that a very large force confronted him. As, however,
Sedgwick did not advance, and more accurate reports were furnished
by Stuart in relation to what had taken place up the river, Lee saw, on
the night of the 30th, that the movement in front of Fredericksburg was
a feint, and his real antagonist was at Chancellorsville. He had
previously ordered Jackson's corps up from Moss Creek and now
advanced with the main body of his army to meet Hooker, leaving
Early's division of Jackson's corps and Barksdale's brigade of McLaws'

division of Longstreet's corps to hold the heights of Fredericksburg
against Sedgwick. Jackson, who was always prompt, started at
midnight, and at 8 A.M. the next day stood by the side of Anderson at
Tabernacle Church. McLaws' division had already arrived, having
preceded him by a few hours.
The error in the movement thus far made is plain. It is a maxim in war
that a single hour's delay, when an enemy is strengthening his position
or when reinforcements are coming up, will frequently cost the lives of
a thousand men. In the present instance it was simply suicidal for
Hooker to delay action until Anderson had fortified his lines and Lee
had come forward with the main body to join him. Hooker should have
pressed on immediately to seize the objective. Banks' Ford was almost
within his grasp, and only a portion of Anderson's division barred the
way. The possession of that ford would have brought Sedgwick twelve
miles nearer to him, and would have forced Lee to fight at a great
disadvantage both as to position and numbers. Hooker knew from a
captured despatch which Pleasonton placed in his hands, that Lee was
still in Fredericksburg on the 30th, uncertain how to act; for he did not
know the strength of Sedgwick's column, and feared that the main
attack might come from that direction. The four corps at
Chancellorsville amounted to about forty-six thousand men; and 18,000
more were close at hand under Sickles. The troops had made but a short
march, and were comparatively fresh. Four miles further on lay the
great prize for which Hooker was contending. He had only to put out
his hand to reach it, but he delayed action all that long night and until
eleven o'clock of the next morning. When he did make the effort the
line he was about to occupy was well fortified and held by all but one
division and one brigade of Lee's army.
CHAPTER II.
FRIDAY, THE FIRST OF MAY.
There are two excellent roads leading from Chancellorsville to
Fredericksburg--one a plank road, which keeps up near the sources of
the streams along the dividing line between Mott Run on the north and

Lewis Creek and Massaponax Creek on the South, and the other called
the old turnpike, which was more direct but more broken, as it passed
over several ravines. There was still a third road, a very poor one,
which ran near the river and came out at Banks' Ford.
On May 1st, at 11 A.M., Hooker moved out to attack Lee in four
columns.
Slocum's corps, followed by that of Howard, took the plank road on the
right.
Sykes' division of Meade's corps, followed by Hancock's division of
Couch's corps, went by the turnpike in the centre.
The remainder of Meade's corps--Griffin's division, followed by that of
Humphreys--took the river road.
Lastly, French's division of Couch's corps was under orders to turn off
and march to Todd's Tavern.
Each column was preceded by a detachment of Pleasonton's cavalry,
which, in fact, had been close to Anderson's pickets all the morning.
Before these troops started, Sickles' corps arrived, after a short march,
from Hartwood Church, and were posted in rear of the Chancellorsville
House as a reserve, with one brigade thrown out to Dowdall's Tavern,
otherwise known as Melzi Chancellor's house. Another brigade was left
at the Ford to guard the passage against Fitz Hugh Lee's cavalry.
Hooker, who