SEDGWICK AT FREDERICKSBURG AND SALEM HEIGHTS.

225

forgot the injunction of Ahab to Benhadad: “ Tell him,” he said, “Let notfotti that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that pntteth it off.”

While the right wing was concentrating at Chancellorsville, the corps ofSedgwick and Reynolds, after considerable opposition, crossed the Rappahan-nock on pontoon-bridges below Fredericksburg , and by the evening of the°0th were deployed on the wide plain where Franklin’s Left Grand Divisionhad fought in the previous battle. Sickles’s corps was in supporting distance.J he position of Lee’s army remained unchanged until the 29th, when Lee^as informed that large bodies of Federals were moving toward Chancellors-p'he. It was the first information he had received of Hooker’s movement onleft, and it is said he was incensed at the delay of the communication.L^ ee p. 233.] At midnight Anderson’s division of Lee’s army hurriedly movedfooin Fredericksburg and intrenched about four or five miles from Hooker’sheadquarters.

In an address of Fitzhugli Lee delivered to the Association of the Army ofyfoi’thern Virginia he stated: “ General Robert E. Lee said that Jackson hadhi'st preferred to attack Sedgwick’s corps in the plain at Fredericksburg ; Leefold him he felt it was as impracticable as at the first battle of Fredericksburg ;h Was hard to get at the enemy and harder to get away, on account of the; iitillevy on the north bank, if we drove them into the river; but, said he toJackson, ‘ If you think it can be done, I will give you orders for it.’ Jackson10,1 asked to be allowed to examine the grounds, and did so during the after-1100,1 , and at night came to Lee and said he thought he (Lee) was right; it^°uld be inexpedient to attack them. 1 Move then,’ said Lee, ‘ at dawn°'iUorrow, up to Anderson.’ ”

Sickles’s and Reynolds’s corps having subsequently been ordered to Chan-e °Horsville by Hooker, Sedgwick was left alone below Fredericksburg withff“ 0 ut 24,000 men, the Sixth Corps being by several thousand the largest inarmy.

During the evening of the 2d of May Hooker sent word to Sedgwick “ toup his line on the Chancellorsville road and attack and destroy anyI’ces he might meet.” He also added that “ he (Sedgwick) would probably

fo

foil

would use Lee up.”

u Upon the rear of Lee’s forces, and between them theyHooker thought an insignificant force was in Sedgwick’s front, the engage-^ e ut soon to take place showed how mistaken he was. Sedgwick received6 order about 11 o’clock at night. He at once advanced his command toe Bowling Green road and then marched by the right flank toward Freder-^ s burg. Newton’s division was in the advance. The night was dark and6 i‘oad made darker by the foliage of the trees on either side. The progresss necessarily slow. Frequent short halts were made while the skirmishersfo- 1 ' 6 feelill 8 their way. Once, when the halt was prolonged and nothingro ke the deep silence of the night except an occasional shot followed by theiq '^'to-be-forgotten phif) of the minie-ball, General Newton, who was rid-b With the third or fourth regiment from the advance, called out: “ Is any

e of .-ce i-® ’• Those present promptly responded, and I was

and tell Colonel Slialer to brush away the enemy’s

■me of my staff her el’'footed to “ ride ahead