Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 22.djvu/300

 288 Southern Historical Society Papers.

long with his heavy masses, including two corps that never fired a gun. Jackson's Division, under J. R. Jones, and Ewell's Division, under Lawton, were nearly annihilated by the tremendous assault of Sumner's and Hooker's Corps. Jones was wounded; Starke, suc- ceeding him, was killed; Lawton was wounded, and Early, succeed- ing him, found but little more than his own brigade left in fighting shape. Assisted by Grigsby and some 300 men of Jackson's Divi- sion, he, with his brigade, repulsed one assault, when suddenly Green's Federal Division penetrated our lines and appeared on his right flank. Promptly facing his men by flank to meet it, and marching behind a rocky ledge, he repelled these intruders, and then, reinforcements arriving, he joined them and beat back Sum- ner's Corps.

FREDERICKSBURG AND CHANCELLORSVILLE.

It was a splendid scene when the fog lifted December 13, 1862, and revealed on the plains of Fredericksburg, in martial array, Burn- side's army of 100,000 men and 200 guns confronting the hills crowned with the batteries and bayonets of the Army of Northern Virginia. That day Early was put in the most difficult position that ever tests the soldier's metal.

Sumner's grand division threw itself upon the Confederate left and was dashed to pieces against the lines of Marye's Hill. Franklin's grand division was now launched against our right held by Jackson's Corps, and Early was just executing orders from Jackson to hold his division in readiness to move to our right flank, then being threat- ened. But there came galloping to him the adjutant of Walker's Artillery Battalion with the startling information that the enemy had made "an awful gulf" between Archer's and Lane's Brigades on our front, and unless immediate assistance came our artillery would be captured. In this emergency Early assumed the responsibility of disregarding Jackson's orders, and instantly advanced to the rescue amidst the shouts of the Confederates: " Here comes old Jubal, he'll straighten that fence." And he did straighten it, driving the enemy far out on the plain, and having the satisfaction of presently receiv- ing Jackson's orders to do just what he had done.

Early commanded the right wing of Lee's army during the battle of Chancellorsville, while Lee and Jackson surrounded Hooker with less than half of his numbers. With his division of four brigades and Barksdale's Brigade, and the reserve artillery, all told less than 10,000 men. Early held a line four miles long against three corps at