The "Wilderness" and Chancelloraville.
Accounts of the great battles on the
Rappahannock continue to come in — each one adding something to our previous knowledge of the events which occurred, or correcting statements made in the hurry of writing soon after the event.
Our attention has been specially called to one point not hitherto dwell upon by any correspondent, though the fact has been alluded to by nearly all. We refer to the question.
Who commanded the corps of the immortal
Jackson when he was rendered
hors du combat, and forced to leave the field?
We have received from authority which places the statement beyond question the following particulars, which we briefly put on record, for the information of our readers:
‘
Gen. Jackson made his great flank movement against the right and rear of the enemy on Saturday.
Getting into position, he attacked with his corps about an hour before sunset, and driving the
Eleventh corps of the
Federals before him, routed and pushed them nearly to
Chancellorsville.
His assault was made at the well-known locality of the
Wilderness; and this contest will be known in history as "The
Battle of the Wilderness." Soon after 9 o'clock at night
Gen. Jackson received the wound which caused his death, and about the same time
Gen. A. P. Hill, the ranking
Major-Gen'l of his corps, was also disabled.
Gen. Rodes, whose heroic conduct made him a
Major-General on the battle-field, and who succeeded
Hill in command, immediately dispatched a messenger to
Gen. J. E. B. Stuart, who had proceeded with a detachment of cavalry towards Ely's ford, and on the arrival of that General formally turned over the command to him, with the full approbation of
General Hill, whose wounds disabled him from further participation, even by conference, in the battle.
It was then too late to renew the battle, and
Gen. Stuart busied himself in reorganizing the command, hurrying up ammunition, and preparing everything for the struggle next morning.
Riding upward and down the lines, he scarcely closed his eyes throughout the night, and saw in person that all was ready.
At daylight in the morning he formed his line of battle, gave the order for his right to advance, and soon engaged
Hooker with the entire corps, driving him from all his defences, huddling his shattered troops in upon
Chancellorsville, and finally routing him completely, and sending him, thoroughly defeated back to the river.
This desperate contest, in which
Jackson's unfinished work was completed, to the full satisfaction of the illustrious soldier, took place in close vicinity to, in, and all around
Chancellorsville.
It will be known as "The
Battle of Chancellorsville." These details of the battles which terminated in the defeat of
Hooker, and his inglorious rout, are noted down for the satisfaction of our readers, for whom the late occurrences on the
Rappahannock still continue to possess a paramount interest.
’
