Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 40.djvu/102

98 south and east. General Lee had followed Anderson, and his plan seems to have been that Early should attack Howe's left driving it towards McLaws, while McLaws and Anderson would close in and shut off Sedgwick's escape.

Lee had left Hooker penned up at Chancellorsville with his back to the river at the United States ford. He now had Sedgwick penned up with his only outlet at Bank's ford, and what had never happened before he was superior in numbers. If Sedgwick were pressed he was bound to be crumpled up like the shell of an egg. He was fully alive to the weakness of his position. He looked forward to the coming of night and every hour that passed gave him increased hope. In the meantime the Confederates dallied. From 12 M. to 6 P. M., nothing was done except some minor changes of position. When the advance began no serious resistance was met with except by Gordon and Hays, but there as elsewhere night intervened and the pursuit was abandoned. It must have been a cruel disappointment to General Lee. A report was current at the time in the army that upon his arrival on the ground and during the afternoon he was much disturbed over the failure of his plans, and that he expressed his displeasure in words which bore no uncertain sound.

Newton and Brooks fell back rapidly on Bank's ford where they took position, on the heights and in rifle pits, and Howe soon followed. At 11:50 P. M. Sedgwick, unwilling to cross the river without Hooker's permission wrote him, that his army was hemmed in, covered by the guns on the north side of Bank's ford, and asking if he should jeopardize its safety by retaining it on the south side. At one A. M., Butterfield replied, to withdraw. At 1:20 Hooker sent an order countermanding the authority to withdraw. When Butterfield's dispatch was received Sedgwick began crossing immediately, and when that from Hooker was received, he replied at 2:30 that nearly all his command was over.

At a council of war held at Hooker's headquarters at midnight of May 4th-5th, all the corps commanders being present except Slocum and Sedgwick, the question was presented whether the army should withdraw or attack. Meade, Reynolds