222
HOOKER'S COMMENTS ON CHANCELLORSVILLE.
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which had been left to demonstrate in front of Fredericksburg, to cross theriver and move rapidly up to my left. The effect of so heavy a body of freshtroops coming in upon the enemy’s flank I calculated would be decisive. ButSedgwick was dilatory in moving, J which gave the enemy time to concerntrate and stop him before he had moved over half the distance, and 1consequently got no help from him.”
I ventured to ask why he did not attack when he found* that the enemy hadweakened his forces in the immediate front and sei it them away to meet Sedg'wick. “ That,” said he, “ would seem to have been the reasonable thing to do-But we were in this impenetrable thicket. All the roads and openings lead-ing through it the enemy immediately fortified strongly, and planted thicklyhis artillery commanding all the avenues, so that with reduced numbers hocould easily hold his lines, shutting me in, and it became utterly impossibleto manoeuvre my forces. My army was not beaten. Only a part of it had bee 11engaged. The First Corps, commanded by Reynolds, whom I regarded as theablest officer under me, was fresh and ready and eager to be brought int°action, as was my whole army. But I had been fully convinced of the futd'ity of attacking fortified positions, and I was determined not to sacrifice mymen needlessly, though it should be at the expense of my reputation as a fight-ing officer. We had already had enough grievous experience in that lm e ‘I made frequent demonstrations to induce the enemy to attack me, but hewould not accept my challenge. Accordingly, when the eight days’ ration®with which my army started out were exhausted, I retired across the rivenBefore doing so I sent orders to General Sedgwick to hold his position n eal
j See statements in “Sedgwick at Fredericksburg and Salem Heights,” p. 224.— Editors.