Today in History:

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

Page 811 Chapter XXXVII. THE CHANCELLORSVILLE CAMPAIGN.

train was put in motion. In the afternoon the Washington Artillery arrived, relieving the anxiety I felt respecting Marye's Hill. Soon after, I received notice from yourself and Colonel Andrews that, finding a battery less than you had supposed on your front, you desired four Parrotts or four Napoleons to be sent down that night. Having no Parrotts that could be sent, since Colonel Cutt's new destination, and no sufficient number of Napoleons, except in the Washington Artillery, I promptly directed Colonel Walton to send from that battalion four Napoleons, under either captain he might designate, to report to Colonel Andrews. Captain Richardson was sent with the four guns, and report about 11 p.m.

Early Saturday morning, all being quiet as before, I rode again to your headquarters. You had walked to the heavy battery on your lines; there I met you. You informed me that, by General Lee's order, you would within half an hour, feel the enemy by opening on him your long-range guns, and you wished me to have opened the Parrotts on the left, as soon as I reached them, if there was anything within their range. You also expressed yourself as disposed to send two of your brigades to General Lee, if the enemy, thus tested, proved too weak or too apathetic to advance. I immediately sent to Colonel Walton to bring up the remainder of the Washington Artillery, and proceeded along the lines to the left. Your guns opened before I reached the heavier Parrotts, and elicited a reply of some extent from the enemy's guns in position near the river on your front. The enemy was not in force anywhere within range of the center Parrotts, and it was not deemed best to fire merely at random, or at the few scattered skirmishers lying most advanced on the enemy's lines. On that line all remained stationary, the masses of the enemy on this side moved out of sight, under the river bank, near their bridge.

I proceeded to Marye's Hill, and re-examined all the front toward Stansbury's house. While on that plateau, I was joined by Colonel Walton, and to him I committed the artillery defense, indicating the points of mst importance, viz, two guns to the right of Marye's house, near the old graveyard, to command the plain in front; two in the redoubts to the left, to command the Telegraph road and the Plank road streets; and one or two in the works farthest to the left, to command the bridges over the canal next to Falmouth. These, it was hoped, would be sufficient, as much of this front was protected by artificial ponds, and, as yet, there was no demonstration against that position.

The enemy, however, still moved considerably on the other side of the river, and appeared massing troops toward Falmouth. I therefore directed Colonel Walton to have most of his guns ready, especially of that side. Under these indications, General Barksdale and myself united in a note to yourself, stating what we had observed, and suggesting that, as the enemy seemed by no means abandoning their position, it might be hazardous for any portion of the defending force to be detached. Soon after, you visited Lee's Hill in person, and witnessed the movements of the enemy. While we were thus together, General Chilton arrived with messages from the commanding general. Having conferred with yourself, he communicated instructions to me also, and you then requested him and myself to sit by you for a few moments. The instructions given were that all of the artillery, except some eight or ten pieces, and especially the heaviest guns, should be sent down the Telegraph road toward Chesterfield, and most of the infantry force withdrawn and moved up to the commanding genera; that the small force left should keep up a demonstration as well as it


Page 811 Chapter XXXVII. THE CHANCELLORSVILLE CAMPAIGN.