2 l8

HOOKER’S COMMENTS ON CHANCELLORSVILLE.

great success. On the morning of the fifth day my army was astir, andwas put in motion on three lines through the tangled forest (the Wilder-ness) which covers the whole country around Chancollorsville, and in threehours’ time I would have been in position on these crests, and in posses-sion of Banks ’s Ford, in short and easy communication with the other wingof my army. But at midnight General Lee had moved out with his wholearmy, and by sunrise was in firm possession of Banks ’s Ford, had thrown upthis line of breastworks which you can still follow with the eye, and it wasbristling with cannon from one end to the other. Before I had proceededtwo miles the heads of my columns, while still upon the narrow roads in theseinterminable forests, where it was impossible to manoeuvre my forces, weremet by Jackson with a full two-thirds of the entire Confederate army. I hadno alternative but to turn back, as I had oidy a fragment of my commandin hand, and take up the position about Chancellorsville which I had occupiedduring the night, as I was being rapidly outflanked upon my right, the enemyhaving open ground on which to operate.

“ And here again my reputation has been attacked because I did not under'take to accomplish an impossibility, but turned back at this point; and everyhistory of the war that has been written has soundly berated me because 1did not fight here in the forest with my hands tied behind me, and allow myarmy to be sacrificed. I have always believed that impartial history wouldvindicate my conduct in this emergency.”

Soon after leaving the open ground opposite Banks ’s Ford we enteredthe dense forest, or “ Wilderness,” which covers the entire Chancellorsvill ebattle-ground,— “a dense forest,” says General Warren, “of not verylarge trees, but very difficult to get through; mainly of scrubby oak, whadthey call black-jack there, so that a man could hardly ride through it, anda man could not march through it very well with musket in hand, unless h etrailed it.”

Every important position was observed and commented upon by the manwho on those fierce battle-days had wielded, on this very ground, an armya hundred thousand men. On approaching the pine-tree under which Gemerals Lee and Jackson had planned the mode of attack, General Hookerobserved: “ It was under that tree that the mischief was devised whichcame near ruining my army. My position at Chancollorsville was a g° 0< ;one for this monotonous country. I felt confident when I reached it that 1had eighty chances in a hundred to win. To make sure that everything w»®firm and strong, very early on the 2d of May, the first day of the battle, 1rode along the whole line, and personally examined every part, suggestingsome changes and counseling extreme vigilance. Upon my return to head'quarters I was informed that a continuous column of the enemy had bee* 1marching past my front since early in the morning, as of a corps with all iUimpedimenta. This put an entirely new phase upon the problem, and fid eme with apprehension for the safety of my right wing, which was posted ^meet a front attack from the south, but was in no condition for a flank attacfrom the west; for this marching of the enemy’s corps, to my mind, meal 1