The History of the City of Fredericksburg, VirginiaQuinn, S. J. (Silvanus Jackson)
History
The History of the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia
Quinn, S. J. (Silvanus Jackson)
Fredericksburg (Va.) -- History
At six o'clock the advance was ordered. The enemy were taken by surprise
and fled after a brief resistance. General Rodes's men pushed forward with
great vigor and enthusiasm, followed closely by the second and third
lines. Position after position was carried, the guns captured, and every
effort of the enemy to rally defeated by the impetuous rush of our troops.
In the ardor of pursuit through the thick and tangled woods, the first and
second lines at last became mingled and moved on together as one. The
enemy made a stand at a line of breastworks across the road at the house
of Melzi Chancellor, but the troops of Rodes and Colston dashed over the
entrenchments together and the flight and pursuit were resumed and
continued until our advance was arrested by the abatis in front of the
line of works near the central position at Chancellorsville.
It was now dark, and General Jackson ordered the third line, under General
Hill, to advance to the front and relieve the troops of Rodes and Colston,
who were completely blended, and in such disorder, from their rapid
advance through intricate woods and over broken ground, that it was
necessary to reform them. As General Hill's men moved forward, General
Jackson, with his staff and escort, returning from the extreme front, met
his skirmishers advancing, and in the obscurity of the night were taken
for the enemy and fired upon. Captain J. K. Boswell, chief engineer of the
corps and several others were killed and a number wounded. General Jackson
himself received a severe injury and was borne from the field. He was
taken to the Chandler house, at Guiney's station, in Caroline county,
where, notwithstanding everything possible was done for him that loving
hearts could do or medical skill could suggest, he died on the 9th of May.
Amid the sorrow and tears of the Southern people he was laid to rest at
his home in Lexington, Virginia.
General Jubal A. Early had been left at Fredericksburg to watch General
Sedgwick, and had been instructed, in the event of the enemy withdrawing
from his front and moving up the river, to join the main body of the army.
This order was repeated on the 2nd, but by some mistake General Early was
directed to move unconditionally. Leaving Hays's brigade and one regiment
of Barksdale's at Fredericksburg, he moved with the rest of his command
towards Chancellorsville. As soon as his withdrawal was perceived the
enemy began to advance, and General Early returned to his original
position.
The line to be defended by Barksdale's brigade extended from the
Rappahannock, above Fredericksburg, to the rear of Howison's house, a
distance of more than two miles. The artillery was posted along the
heights in rear of the town.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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