Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 14.djvu/421

 Recollections of Fredericksburg. 415

your State, and your triumph would be bloodless. If the contrary policy be adopted, I much fear you will be driven to the use of force to repress treason. In either event, however, be assured that you will have my cordial concurrence and assistance in maintaining with you the honor and dignity and the fair name of your State, in your efforts to crush treason, whether incipient, as I believe it now to be, or more mature, as I believe, if not firmly met, it will in our future inevitably become.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully,

(Signed) Jefferson Davis.

Recollections of Fredericksburg. — From the Morning of the 20th of April to the 6th of May, 1863.

BY GENERAL B. G. HUMPHREYS.

[The following are extracts from the " Mississippi State War Records," by General B. G. Humphreys, ex-Governor of Missis- sippi, and Colonel of the Twenty-first Mississippi regiment. Con- federate States army.]


 * }; >1< * * * During the winter of i862-'3. General Burnside

had been superseded by " Fighting Joe Hooker," who was making gigantic preparations, just across the Rappahannock, for the fourth "On to Richmond," and boasted that he had the "finest army on the planet," and would soon "pulverize the rebellion." General Lee was not idle. Though cramped by his limited means and re- sources, both in men and appliances of war, he stood firm and un- awed by the mighty hosts that confronted him.

During the night of the 20th of April the Federals attacked some North Carolina pickets, drove in their reserves, laid down pon- toon bridges, and crossed the river below Deep Run, near the Ber- nard house. The alarm was soon conveyed lo Barksdale's pickets at Fernahough s house. The "long roll" and the alarm bell at Fredericksburg soon brought Barksdale's brigade into line. During that day General Lee ascertained through General J. E. B. Stuart that General Hooker was moving his main army to cross the Rappa- hannock and Rapidan, and fall on his left flank and rear through the Wilderness. General Lee immediately moved his main force, and confronted him at Chancellorsville, on the ist of May. General