Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 40.djvu/94

 90 The victory was won at a fearful sacrifice. The list of killed and wounded in Jackson's three divisions was reported at 6,872: that in the 2d, 3d, 11th and 12th Federal army corps including the missing, at 11,168. The battle on either side was fought in a disjointed way. When success was achieved at one point, support was lacking to make it good, and there was a general want of concert. This was due in large measure to the character of the ground, and the difficulty of seeing and knowing how things were going. General Stuart was subjected to some criticism for the manner in which the troops were handled, which caused him to address General Lee on the subject, but the latter thought it did not require investigation. In his official report he says of Stuart, "He conducted the operations on the left with distinguished capacity and vigor, stimulating and cheering the troops by the example of his own coolness and daring."

General Hooker's new position was in the shape of an obtuse angle, each leg of which touched a bank of the river in rear. Couch and Howe were on the left leg, Meade and Reynolds on the right, with Sickles at the Salient, and Slocum in the rear.

General Lee immediately made disposition to renew the attack and formed his lines along the Plank road, Colston in the centre with Anderson and McLaws to his right, and Rodes and Heth to his left. Hooker's forces were estimated to be 75,000 men with 246 pieces of artillery, Lee's at 34,000 with 132 pieces of artillery. Notwithstanding the disparity of numbers, Lee's confidence in his troops now flushed with victory, was such that he determined on another attack.

When General Hooker appeared before a Committee on the Conduct of the War, describing the army of Northern Virginia, he paid it this tribute: "That army has by discipline alone acquired a character for steadiness and efficiency, unsurpassed in my judgment in ancient or modern times. We have not been able to rival it, nor has there been any near approximation to it in the other rebel armies."

It was at this juncture that General Lee received a message from Early that Sedgwick had captured Fredericksburg, and