Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 7.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

On the Confederate side, the force operating at Chancellorsville consisted of McLaws' and Anderson's divisions of Longstreet's corps (Hood's and Pickett's divisions of that corps, under Long street, were in the vicinity of Suffolk, on the south side of James river), and Jackson's corps, of A. P. Hill's, Early's, D. H. Hill's under Rodes, and Trimble's under Colston, and two brigades of cavalry under W. H. F. Lee and Fitzhugh Lee. Hampton's brigade was absent, having been sent to the interior to recruit, and W. E. Jones was in the Valley. Present, then, we find six infantry divisions or twenty-eight brigades, and the cavalry brigades of nine regiments. The official return of the Army of Northern Virginia nearest to the battle extant — viz: 31st March, 1863--shows in Anderson's and McLaws' divisions, 15,649; in Jackson's corps, 33,333; in reserve artillery, 1,621. That return puts the cavalry at 6,509. My brigade numbered about 1,500 (it will be remembered at Kelleysville, two weeks before, it numbered 800) and W. H. F. Lee's about 1,200, making 2,700 cavalry; and the discrepancy is accounted for by the fact that Hampton's and Jones' brigades were included in the return, because, though absent, they were included in the Army of Northern Virginia, and their returns sent to the Assistant Adjutant-General at army headquarters.

Add 15,649, and 33,333, and 1,621, and 2,700 together and you have present at Chancellorsville a Confederate total of 53,303, with some 170 pieces of artillery. My numbers differ from Walter Taylor's 57,112 by 3,809, which is the difference between 6,509 cavalry he gives and 2,700, about the actual number present. Allan makes our force out 58,200. Now let us see what 133,708 fighting men in blue did with 53,303 “boys in gray.”

It will be demonstrated that “the finest army on the planet,” as Hooker termed it, “was like the waves of the ocean driven upon the beach by some unseen force, and whose white crests were so soon broken into glittering jewels on the sand.” On the 21st April Hooker telegraphs to General Peck, who at Suffolk was growing impatient, hoping to be relieved from the pressure against him by Hooker's movements: “You must be patient with me; I must play with these devils before I can spring.” On the 26th April orders were issued for the Eleventh and Twelfth corps to march at sunrise on the 27th for Kelly's ford, and to be encamped there on the 28th by 4 P. M. Stoneman's headquarters were then at Warrenton