Today in History:

494 Series I Volume XXV-I Serial 39 - Chancellorsville Part I

Page 494 N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXVII.

and the next morning some few men were carried to the rear, to the river and even across it, before surgeons of the division could be found. Of course, very few could be removed in this manner, and it was impossible to get the ambulances across sooner than was done, they being kept back by imperative orders from Colonel Ingalls, and then by the jam in the roads leading to the pontoons. All wounded, unable to walk, who fell on the ground to the right of Chancellorsville, had necessarily to be left, excepting the few already referred to as being carried by my men.

I would respectfully suggest tht in all operations in a country like that of the recent fight, and with a line of operations connected by pontoons, the prompt removal of the wounded is impossible. ambulances clog the roads to the prejudice of military maneuvers, and hospitals, unless established very near the field, are practically useless if speed is desired, and, if too near (as was the case with two of my division hospitals), may fall into the enemy's possession.

Respectfully,

JNO. R. PANCOAST,

Second Lieutenant and Chief Ambulance Officer, Third Division.

Lieutenant A. WEBSTER,

Chief Ambulance Officer, Third Army Corps.


No. 161. Report of Colonel Emlen Franklin, One hundred and twenty-second Pennsylvania Infantry, commanding First Brigade.


HDQRS. FIRST Brigadier, THIRD DIV., THIRD ARMY CORPS,
May 8, 1863.

CAPTAIN: In obedience to orders received from division headquarters, requiring a report of the part taken by this brigade in the late engagements on the Rappahannock and in the vicinity of Chancellorsville, Va., I have the honor to report that this brigade crossed the Rappahannock on the pontoon bridge at the United States ford, with the rest of the division, on the morning of May 1, but took no part in the engagements of that day, except being drawn up in position in reserve during the reconnaissance in force with which the enemy felt our lines in the afternoon and evening.

About noon of May 2, we marched, in conjunction with the rest of the division, to the front, about a mile along the Plank road, and then turned to the left, for the purpose, as I understood, of making a demonstration on the flank of a column of the enemy moving toward the right of our line. After advancing about 2 miles, we met the enemy in force immediately after debouching from a dense and tangled thicket, and formed line of battle, connecting with the Second Brigade of our division on the right and Williams' brigade on the left. After exchanging a few rounds with the enemy at this place, we were ordered in large force in our rear. We fell back upon the same line upon which we had advanced for about half a mile to a hill, where we found a battery engaged with the enemy, who occupied the road upon which we had advanced. After remaining in support of this battery for some time, we were placed in position to the left and front about 200 yards, holding a line of woods which skirted the open field. We maintained this


Page 494 N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXVII.