While the infantry was swinging along the forest road, the cavalry had reached the Plank road, near Chancellorsville, and was awaiting General Jackson. Fitz Lee, impatient at the delay, rode toward the Federal line, and found to his surprise that it was near at hand and in full view from his post of observation. The Federals did not dream that the Confederates could reach the road at this point and so had no guards stationed there. Afterwards Fitz Lee thus described the scene: “Below and but a few hundred yards distant, ran the Federal line of battle. There was the line of defense and long lines of stacked arms in the rear. Two cannons were visible in the part of the line seen. The soldiers were in groups in the rear, laughing, chatting, smoking; probably engaged, here and there, in a game of cards and other amusements indulged in when feeling safe and awaiting orders. In the rear were other persons driving up and butchering beeves.” Realizing the importance of his discovery, Lee rode back to meet Jackson and guided him to the same place of observation. Jackson immediately placed his troops in position on the turnpike and ordered them to advance and attack the unsuspecting enemy. As long as the dense growth and rough ground permitted, Stuart and his cavalry guarded the left flank. After a rapid march through the tangled thickets, the men rushed forward with wild cheers and dashed upon the unsuspecting Federals as they were cooking their suppers. The panic-stricken Federal soldiers rushed back upon their center, and as the terror spread, after them went horses, wagons, cannon, men—speeding to recross the Rappahannock. The officers tried in vain to stop the fleeing men. For a while, the panic was so great that the destruction of Hooker’s army seemed certain. After pursuing the Federals for two hours until they were within half a mile of Hooker’s headquarters at the Chancellor house, the Confederates stopped in the darkness to reform. Just at this critical moment, General Hooker succeeded in bringing up reenforcements and posted fresh artillery in the edge of the woods on Hazel Grove, a small hill in front of General Jackson’s assaulting column. Still, however, the soldiers in gray advanced. General A. P. Hill’s division was now ordered to the front to take charge of the pursuit. While he was engaged in forming his lines, General Jackson with several aides and couriers rode down the Plank road nearly to the defenses around Chancellorsville. As they were returning, they were fired upon by some of their own men who had been posted in the thickets and who, in the moonlight, mistook Jackson and his escort for Federal cavalry. General Jackson was wounded and was borne from the field. A little later, General Hill also was wounded. Jackson then sent for Stuart who had been ordered to hold the road to Ely’s Ford, one of the Federal lines of retreat.