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

[288] point up the plank road near Banks's Ford, During this time my skirmishers were actively engaged and brought in many prisoners. I remained near Banks's Ford during the balance of the night, and the next evening, the fifth, in a severe storm of wind and rain, advanced to within two miles of Chancellorsville and bivouacked for the night. Early the next day, sixth, I was moved to Ballard's field, and that evening returned to my old camp near Fredericksburg. My command was on foot from the twenty-ninth of April to the seventh May, inclusive, and bore the privations, fatigue, labor, and fighting without a murmur. My staff officers, Stanhope Posey, A. A. General, and J. B. Posey, A. D. C., rendered good services. My Aid-de-camp being very sick, had to leave the field Saturday morning, and my assistant adjutant-general being wounded on Saturday, was disabled from doing active duty, but remained in the field while the fighting lasted. In the mean time one of my couriers, Mr. Asberry Hancock, acted both a courier and aid-de-camp, and did most valuable service, displaying acts of daring and heroism worthy of mention, and for his conduct in the field in front of the enemy deserves the highest consideration, and should be promoted. My courier, Weil, also deserves mention. I must here mention that Lieutenant-Colonel Manlove, of the Forty-eighth, volunteered, and gallantly led a line of skirmishers on Friday morning with good effect. It affords me pleasure to notice the gallant conduct of T. L. Duke, chaplain of the Nineteenth regiment, who remained in front of his regiment with his musket during the series of engagements, and mainly directed the movements of the skirmishers of that regiment. I herewith send a list of casualties, and also the reports of commanders of regiments, giving more particular details which are interesting.

Very respectfully,

Major: I herewith enclose a report of the part taken by my brigade in the recent engagements near Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, together with a correct list of casualties sustained by this command. At fifteen minutes after ten o'clock A. M., on the twenty-ninth ultimo, I received orders to move with my command to or near Hamilton's Crossing, and in supporting distance of General Early's left, I immediately put my brigade in motion, and at twelve M., reached the position indicated, with my right near to Early's left. Here I remained until late in the afternoon, when, in obedience to orders from Major-General Anderson, I moved my command near to his headquarters, on the military road. Here we bivouacked, as we hoped, for the night, but at twelve o'clock I was ordered to move rapidly with my command to Chancellorsville, distant some twelve or fifteen miles, where I would report to Major-General Anderson. During a drenching rain and impenetrable darkness we commenced the march, and moving by the Fredericksburg and Orange plank road, at daylight, on Thursday, May the thirtieth, I reported in person the arrival of my brigade at Chancellorsville. Here I received orders to retrace my steps, and fall back towards Fredericksburg, as far as the crossing of the old mine road on the plank road, and there await the approach of the enemy, then reported as advancing in heavy force by the Ely's Ford and Germana roads. At eight o'clock A. M. I reached the desired position, and formed line of battle on a range of hills in rear of Hopewell nursery, with my right resting upon the plank road. My men had marched twenty-seven miles in less than twenty-one hours, and most of the time in a heavy rain and through deep mud, and when I halted, were almost completely exhausted. After a hasty reconnoissance of the position I concluded to change my line to the crest of a range of hills, upon which the small-pox hospital and an old church were situated, and about three quarters of a mile in rear of my first position. Here I formed as before with my right resting upon the plank road, and my left upon the Fredericksburg and Gordonsville railroad. During the afternoon, having received a few intrenching tools, I commenced digging a line of rifle-pits in front of my position, and by working during the whole night I had, by seven o'clock on Friday morning, my entire line well protected, having also, during the night, kept a detail at work throwing up an epaulement for two pieces of artillery on the right of the plank road. No enemy having appeared in sight in front of my position, at about noon, on Friday, the first of May, I was ordered to move my brigade up the plank road, and, feeling for the enemy, to drive him before me should he be found. Having proceeded about one mile my skirmishers became engaged with the enemy's advance, who began very soon to give way, while I pressed forward with the main body of my command, until having reached within one and a half or two miles of Chancellorsville I discovered the enemy in considerable force, occupying a position on both sides of the plank road, along the skirt of a heavy forest, with a large clearing in his front. At this point, by command of Lieutenant-General Jackson, Alexander's battalion of artillery was placed in position, and supported by my brigade, opened a heavy fire upon the enemy's line. Meanwhile I threw forward a strong body of skirmishers from the Third Georgia regiment on both sides of the road, and pushing them well to the front, those on the right soon became actively engaged with a considerable body of the enemy's infantry: the firing continuing very heavy on my right, I ordered Captain Jones's company, Second Georgia battalion, to the support of company “H,” Third Georgia regiment, then on the right. In a very few minutes the enemy began to give way, and Captain Jones continued to press them for some distance through the dense wood. About the middle of the afternoon I received