But the way was still blocked. The receding line of grey was suddenly supported by Early's division detached from Lee's reserves. Again Sedgwick was stopped and fought until dark. [Illustration: "Waving his plumed hat ... he put himself at the head of his troops and charged."] As the sun was sinking over the smoke-wreathed spring-clothed trees of the wilderness, Stuart gathered Jackson's corps for a desperate assault on Hooker's last line of defense. Waving his plumed hat high above his handsome bearded face, he put himself at the head of his troops and charged, chanting with boyish enthusiasm his improvised battle song: "Old--Joe--Hooker, Won't you come out o' the Wilderness! Come out o' the Wilderness! Come out o' the Wilderness! Old--Joe--Hooker-- Come out o' the Wilderness-- Come--come--I say!" The cheering grey waves swept all before them and left Lee in full possession of Chancellorsville and the whole position the Federal army had originally held. As the Confederates rolled on, driving the fiercely fighting men in blue before them, Lee himself rode forward to encourage his men and then it happened--the thing for which the great have fought, and longed, and dreamed since time dawned--the spontaneous tribute of the brave to a trusted leader. His victorious troops went wild at the sight of him. Above the crash and roar of battle rose the shouts of the Southerners: "Hurrah for Lee!" "Lee!" "Lee!" From lip to lip the thrilling name leaped until the wounded and the dying turned their eyes to see and raised their feeble voices: "Lee!--Lee!--Lee!" It was at this moment that he received the note from Jackson announcing that he was badly wounded. With the shouts of his men ringing in his ears, he drew his pencil and wrote across the pommel of his saddle: "GENERAL: I have just received your note informing me that you are wounded. I cannot express my regret at the occurrence. Could I have directed events, I should have chosen, for the good of the country, to be disabled in your stead. "I congratulate you upon the victory which is due to your skill and energy. "Very respectfully, your obedient servant, "R. E. LEE, "GENERAL." It was quick, bloody work next day for the Southerner to turn and spring on Sedgwick with the ferocity of a tiger, crush and hurl his battered and bleeding corps back on the river. Under cover of a storm General Couch, in command of Hooker's army, retreated across the Rappahannock. The blue and grey picket lines that night were so close to each other the men could talk freely. The Southern boys were chaffing the Northerners over their oft repeated defeats. Through the darkness a Yankee voice drawled: "Ah, Johnnie, shut up--you make us tired! You're not so much as you think you are. Swap Generals with us and we'll come over and lick hell out of you!"