Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 40.djvu/72

68 rashness, it would be hard to say. But his attitude of mind was quickly betrayed to the staff and corps commanders. At 2 P. M. he sent Butterfield the following telegram, "From character of information, have suspended attack. The enemy may attack me. * * * I will try it. Tell Sedgwick to keep a sharp lookout and attack if he can succeed." The most charitable construction to put on the message is, that Hooker was staggered by the unexpected resistance he encountered, and that he lost his nerve. When he testified before the Committee on the Conduct of the War he said, "As soon as Couch's division and Sickles' corps came up, I directed an advance for the purpose in the first instance, of drawing the enemy away from Bank's ford, which was six miles down the river, in order that we might be in closer communication with the left wing of the army." When asked by the Committee what action was taken on the first day, he replied, "I went out to attack the enemy." There is no doubt that General Hooker had firmly persuaded himself that there was but one thing left for Lee to do, and that was to get away. When he succeeded in getting Lee out of his entrenchments, he did not believe it possible that the latter would turn and fight. When he discovered upon ordering an advance that Lee was in heavy force in his front, and assuming the offensive, it completely upset him, and broke up all his calculations. It was in this frame of mind, that he "suspended the attack." He was still confident however, that Lee would not fight, as shown by the events of the subsequent day. He clung to the belief that his success in turning Lee's flank, left him no alternative but to retire, which would be impossible by reason of Stoneman's raid in his rear. He concluded therefore to "sit tight," and act on the defensive. At 4:20 P. M., he issued an order to his corps commanders to establish their commands on the lines assigned them, and put them in a condition of defense without a moment's delay.

During the afternoon and night Meade's corps was placed along the Mineral Spring road north of Chandler's house, and stretching to a bend in the river just above Scott's dam. This was a strong defensive position, the left of the line resting on