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anticipating he would move him when Grant crossed the Rapidan, but Longstreet discharged him, and, by taking the wrong road, did not get up to his position until May 6th, when he might have joined him on the 5th.
Gordonsville was only ten miles from Orange Court House and the court house thirteen from Verdiersville, where Longstreet bivouacked the night of the 5th.
By the route he should have marched he could have reached Verdiersville in twenty miles. He consumed one day and a half of precious time in getting there.
Though late in his arrival, no one could have made dispositions to assume the offensive with more celerity, or have attacked with more promptness.
Hancock was now in turn assailed.
Holding his front with three brigades under Gregg, Benning, and Law, Longstreet threw four-viz., Mahone's, G. T. Anderson's, Wofford's, and Davis'saround Hancock's left flank.
Attacked in flank and front, Hancock's troops were routed and driven rapidly back three quarters of a mile to his line of works.
It was a well-planned, well-executed movement.
As Longstreet rode down the plank road at the head of his column he came opposite to his brigades, which had made the flank movement, and were drawn up parallel to the plank road and some sixty feet from it. He was mistaken in the thick woods for the Federals, and a volley was fired at him by his own men, which severely wounded him and killed General Jenkins by his side.
It was most unfortunate.
Jackson at Chancellorsville had been shot down by his troops at the moment of victory, and here in the Wilderness in the midst of a deserved success, and when Longstreet had given orders for the advance of his whole force, he, too, fell by the fire of his own men. His fall arrested the movement.
R. H. Anderson was taken from Hill's corps and put in command of Longstreet's, and Mahone given Anderson's division; but the change required time.
Lee had in person been in the midst of Hill's troops, restoring confidence and order, and his presence, as he rode along the lines on his gray horse, was most inspiring.
In splendid style the troops of Longstreet went into battle.
As the Texans swept by with enthusiastic cheers Lee rode with them in the charge until those
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