176 THE SUCCESSES AND FAILURES OF CHANCELLORSVILLE.

of Spotsylvania Court House, but hisrear-guard threw the whole columninto confusion by the cry, “ The enemyis upon us.” Major von Borcke, a dis-tinguished officer, who was on GeneralStuart’s staff, and was present onthis occasion, in describing it, says:“ Shots were fired at hazard in everydirection. The 1st and 3d VirginiaRegiments, no longer recognizing eachother, charge upon each other mutu-ally ; Stuart’s mounted men, generallyso brave and so steadfast, no longerobey the orders of their officers, andgallop off in great disorder. At lastquiet is restored, and the brigade final-ly reaches Spotsylvania Court House,while the small band which has causedso much alarm to Stuart was quietlyreturning to Chancellorsville.”

The next morning at daylight (Fri-day, May 1st) I reported to GeneralHooker the result of this reconnois-sauce, and he began to realize the ini'portance of the information that hadbeen conveyed the day before in thediary of Stuart’s engineer officer. The 6th New York Cavalry were onlyable to report that they had cut their way through a heavy body of cavalry)and this by moonlight; they were unable to say whether any infantry ° rartillery were in that direction.

To move the army down on Fredericksburg with an unknown force on it®rear and flank was a hazardous experiment. What could have been don®with safety the day before now became doubtful, and it was this uncertaintythat paralyzed the vigor and action of General Hooker throughout the 1st ofMay. Although he started the Second, Fifth, Twelfth, and Third corps inthe direction of Tabernacle Church on the way to Fredericksburg , the move-ment was not of such a character as to bring success. Upon meeting a stub-born resistance from General Jackson’s forces, and fearing that if he shouldbecome deeply engaged a force from Spotsylvania would take him in the rea rand flank, he withdrew the army and placed it in position at ChancellorsviU®*

From that time the whole situation was changed. Without striking a bloVthe army was placed on the defensive. The golden moment had been lost)and it never appeared again to the same extent afterward—an illustrationthat soldiers’ legs have as much to do with winning victories as their arms.

General Lee knew that General Hooker had taken his army back to it®position at Chancellorsville. The Third Corps had already been taken from

MAJOR-GENERAL HIRAM G. BERRY, COMMANDINGSECOND DIVISION, THIRD CORPS, KILLED MAY3, 1863. FROM A PHOTOGRAPH.

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