Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 10.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[282] in rear of Chancellorsville. Coming to a halt, we lay under cover of woods within four hundred yards of their works, for four or five hours. Some demonstrations being made upon my left, the brigade of General Lane was sent to my support. Previously, the Fiftieth Virginia, Captain Matthews, and a detachment of a South Carolina regiment, under Major Gordon, had joined me as reenforcements. The enemy did not show himself again outside of his works. At four o'clock I was relieved, by the direction of Major-General A. P. Hill, under the command of General Pender. We took position soon after in the trenches about Chancellorsville, where we lay until ordered back to our camp, near Grace Church.

Colonels Zachery, Graybill, and Hutchins led their regiments with spirit and energy. Captain Gratten, assistant adjutant-general, and Lieutenant Randle, aid-de-camp, were indefatigable in their efforts, and conspicuously bold in the discharge of their duties. Mr. H. H. Colquitt, acting upon my staff, bore himself with spirit and coolnesss.

Especial credit is due Captain William M. Arnold, Sixth Georgia regiment, who commanded the battalion of skirmishers. His energy, zeal, and gallantry won my admiration.

Having rested on our arms on the extreme left of the third line of battle, composed of the troops of Rodes's division, during the night of May second, about six o'clock A. M., of May third, we advanced with the whole line, one brigade of which (Rodes's) intervened between mine and the plank road.

My command was formed in the following order, from right to left: Twenty-third North Carolina, Twentieth North Carolina, Twelfth North Carolina, and Fifth North Carolina.

The direction was Chancellorsville, moving to the left of and parallel to Germana road. Advancing through the almost impenetrable undergrowth, subjected to the incessant artillery fire of the enemy, it was impossible to see any portion of the brigade over fifty yards. In consequence of the difficulty of proceeding, I soon received information from Lieutenant-Colonel Lee, commanding the Fifth North Carolina, that his regiment was disconnected from the brigade. Fearing that he might get lost, and fall into the hands of the enemy, I sent him word to move by the right flank, and then close up. This manoeuvre threw him in rear of the line, leaving the Twelfth North Carolina on the left flank. Upon reaching the first barricades of the enemy, which had been carried by the first line of our troops, a heavy fire of artillery opened on my left, raking the whole line, and the skirmishers of the enemy fired on my left flank. I ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Johnston, commanding Twelfth North Carolina, to deploy skirmishers to protect his flank, and to press on. At the barricades, I met General Rodes, and informed him that the enemy were threatening my flank. My brigade pressed on, and found the troops of the first lines retiring before the heavy force of the enemy, and we became the first line, engaging the enemy in front, who gradually retired before us; but at this time they were advancing in heavy force on my left flank. I despatched a messenger to General Stuart with this information, and asked him for reenforcements. Before any could have arrived they closed with us, forcing the Twelfth and Twentieth North Carolina to retire to the barricades. Colonel D. H. Christie, with five companies of his regiment, had charged that part of the enemy's battery resting on the plank road, captured it by an enfilading fire, and caused the abandonment of their guns, when, finding that he was outflanked from the left, was forced to retire after a desperate fight, losing many men killed, wounded, and prisoners. It is supposed that Major Blackwell, of the Twenty-third North Carolina, was captured here. Lieutenant Colonel Lee, with the Fifth North Carolina, had come up in the mean time, but had not been engaged; he reported his regiment to me in the centre of my brigade, and was ordered to sustain two regiments of Rodes's brigade, in an advanced position, but finding the whole falling back, he also retired to the breastworks. Finding the danger from the forcing of our left flank imminent, and the enemy still pressing on, I was forced to give my whole attention to that point, and, in conjunction with General Thomas, formed a portion of a Louisiana brigade, with two regiments of Rodes's brigade, I think the Sixth and Twelfth Alabama, to meet the attack