Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 03.djvu/245

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Battle of Chancellorsville—Report of General R. E. Lee.
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chief engineer of the corps, and several others were killed, and a number wounded. General Jackson himself received a severe injury, and was borne from the field. The command devolved upon Major-General Hill, whose division, under General Heth, was advanced to the line of entrenchments which had been reached by Rodes and Colston. A furious fire of artillery was opened upon them by the enemy, under cover of which his infantry advanced to the attack. They were handsomely repulsed by the Fifty-fifth Virginia regiment under Colonel Mallory, who was killed while bravely leading his men. General Hill was soon afterwards disabled, and Major-General Stuart, who had been directed by General Jackson to seize the road to Ely's ford, in rear of the enemy, was sent for to take command. At this time the right of Hill's division was attacked by the column of the enemy already mentioned as having penetrated to the furnace, which had been recalled to Chancellorsville to avoid being cut off by the advance of Jackson. This attack was gallantly met and repulsed by the Eighteenth and Twenty-eighth, and a portion of the Thirty-third North Carolina regiments, Lane's brigade.

Upon General Stuart's arrival, soon afterwards, the command was turned over to him by General Hill. He immediately proceeded to reconnoitre the ground and make himself acquainted with the disposition of the troops. The darkness of the night, and the difficulty of moving through the woods and undergrowth, rendered it advisable to defer further operations until morning; and the troops rested on their guns in line of battle. Colonel Crutchfield, Chief of Artillery of the corps, was severely wounded, and Colonel Alexander, senior artillery officer present, was engaged during the entire night in selecting positions for our batteries. As soon as the sound of cannon gave notice of Jackson's attack on the enemy's right, our troops in front of Chancellorsville were ordered to press him strongly on the left, to prevent reinforcements being sent to the point assailed. They were directed not to attack in force unless a favorable opportunity should present itself; and while continuing to cover the roads leading from their respective positions towards Chancellorsville, to incline to the left so as to connect with Jackson's right, as he closed in upon the centre. These orders were well executed, our troops advancing up to the enemy's entrenchments, while several batteries played with good effect upon his lines, until prevented by the increasing darkness.

Early on the morning of the third General Stuart renewed the