Today in History:

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

Page 822 N.VA., W.VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXVII.

Captain Parker's battery,a nd a 24-pounder howitzer of Captain Woolfolk's; seven guns in all. They took position in front of enemy's batteries, and opened, assisted by the guns in the pits. The enemy returned the fire of the guns on the field from their pits,and opened two new batteries on our right, against which none of our guns could be brought to bear. The duel was kept up for a half hours briskly,when, finding that the enemy were to well sheltered in the pits to be run off (though his fire was much reduced), and his two batteries on the right of our pits punished them severely, exploding two ammunition chests and destroying a third, while we could make no reply to them, I ordered the firing to cease.

It was discovered in the meantime that the enemy had evacuated their line of battle behind Mine Run, and our work was consequently useless. I accordingly withdrew the guns not in pits to camp; those in the pits remained silent under occasional but most accurate shots from the enemy until dark, when Captain Jordan withdrew them successfully.

During the day one of Lieutenant Taylor's guns had a wheel shot off, but another was immediately substituted. Lieutenant Brown's section of Parker's battery was captured on Marye's Hill, where it was left by order, as heretofore stated, after a severe and gallant fight, protracted until after the enemy's flag was within our works, and in which there is evidence that they suffered loss. The bodies of 1 of the men and 7 of the horses were found where it fought.

Our total loss is 6 killed, 35 wounded, 21 prisoners and missing, and 46 horses killed, disabled, and captured.

I am, major, very respectfully, yours,

E. P. ALEXANDER,

Colonel, Commanding Battalion.

Major G. MOXLEY SORREL,

Assistant Adjutant-General, First Corps.


HEADQUARTERS ARTILLERY, LONGSTREET'S CORPS, East Tennessee,
March 7, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the artillery in the assault on Chancellorsville on May 3, 1863:

Being called to the command of the artillery on the field by the wounding of Colonel [S.] Crutchfield, I reported to you at 10 p.m. on the night of the 2nd, and was directed to reconnoiter the ground during the night and post the necessary by dawn for an early attack. A careful examination showed that our attack must be made entirely through the dense wood in front of us, the enemy holding his edge of it with infantry, protected by abatis and breastworks, supported by a numerous and powerful artillery in the fields behind, within canister range of the woods. There were but two outlets through which our artillery could be moved - on the Plank road, debouching within 400 yards of twenty-seven of the enemy's guns, protected by breastworks and enfiladed for a long distance by a party of them, as well as by two guns behind a breastwork thrown up across the road abreast of their line of abatis and infantry cover; the second outlet was a cleared vista or lane through the pines (a half mile to the south of the Plank road),some 200 yards long by 25 wide. This opened upon a cleared ridge, held by the enemy's artillery, about 400 yards distant. This vista was reached from the Plank road by two small roads, No. 1 leaving the Plank road near our infantry lines and running parallel with and close behind them to the head of the


Page 822 N.VA., W.VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXVII.