Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 3.

[26] Chancellorsville and Fredericksburg, where strong intrenchments were thrown up. There a plank road and a turnpike diverged, and met again at Chancellorsville, Along these Jackson ordered a general advance, Owen's cavalry leading. Jackson commanded in person the column on the plank road, and that on the turnpike was led by General L. McLaws.

Hooker had also disposed his army for battle. He was aware of the peril of fighting with the Wilderness at his back, and had directed his army to move out along the two roads just mentioned, and another leading to Banks's Ford, to give battle in the open country toward Fredericksburg. In a circular issued that morning,

May 1, 1863.

he said Headquarters would be at the Tabernacle Church after the movement should commence; but Jackson was there before him, for Hooker's columns did not move until eleven o'clock. At that hour the divisions of Griffin and Humphreys, of Meade's (Fifth) corps pushed out on the left toward Banks's Ford, while Sykes's, of the same corps, supported by Hancock's division, and forming the center column, moved along the turnpike. Slocum's entire corps (Twelfth), with Howard's (Eleventh) and its batteries, massed in its rear, composing the right column, marched along the plank road.

The left column reached a point in sight of Banks's Ford without opposition, and the right column penetrated an equal distance eastward, without serious resistance. The center was not so fortunate. A little more than a mile in advance of the National works at Chancellorsville its cavalry met the vanguard of the Confederates, and a spirited contest ensued, in which the former vere driven back. Then Sykes brought up his entire column, with artillery, and after a severe struggle with McLaws, whose force was deployed in line of battle across the turnpike, with Jordan's battery on the Mine road, he pushed his foe back. At about noon, he gained the advantageous position of one of the ridges, back of Fredericksburg, which are nearly parallel with the Rappahannock, and which commanded Chancellorsville and the surrounding country. Banks's Ford, which Lee had strenuously endeavored to cover, was now virtually in possession of the Nationals, and the distance between Sedgwick, opposite Fredericksburg, and the main army at Chancellorsville, was thereby shortened at least twelve miles. It now seemed as if a vigorous and general forward movement would give the Nationals a speedy and decisive victory,

George Sykes.

and possibly annihilate Lee's army. This movement some of the commanders were anxious to make, but circumstances compelled the chief to withhold his sanction. Slocum and Jackson had met on the plank road, and struggled fearfully, until at length the latter was making a serious movement on the flank of his antagonist, and strong columns were overlapping Sykes's flanks. Informed of this, and fearing his army might be beaten in detail