Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 34.djvu/214

 206 Southern Historical Society Papers.

From the Times-Dispatch, May 4, 1906.

THE BATTLE OF GREATEST LUSTRE.

An Incident in Chancellorsville Campaign and What Grew Out of It.

Operations of Cavalry The Story of General Averett's Interview with a Confederate Prisoner Retold.

No battle, probably, in which the Federal and Confederate armies were engaged reflected more lustre on Southern generalship and the valor of the Southern soldier than the bloody struggle of Chancel- lorsville. The events which took place on that historic field and at Salem Church, May 1-3, 1863, were of a nature so important and brilliant as to eclipse and obscure the co-operating movements and detached services performed at the time in connection with the two contending armies The operations of the cavalry having covered a wide extent of territory and issued in numerous skirmishes with- out any regular battle, have claimed but slight attention in com- parison with the desperate fighting and signal successes on the chief scenes of action.

And yet, according to the well laid plan of the Federal comman- der, the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac were carefully prepared, cautiously despatched and confidently expected to add in no sqjall measure to the success of that army. This force, comprising all the cavalry under General Hooker save one brigade, were in two bodies, one under General George Stoneman and the other under General W. W. Averell, and were designed to operate on two dis- tinct lines. The destination and objects of the movements were set forth in orders from General Hooker as early as April i3th. These orders are noteworthy, as showing not only the work assigned to the cavalry, but the spirit and manner in which it was to be done. "You will march," so the orders read, "on the i3th instant with all your available force except one brigade, for the purpose of turn- ing the enemy's position on his left, and of throwing your command between him and Richmond and isolating him from his supplies, checking his retreat, and inflicting on him every possible injury