into the projecting corner of the woods on the right, the border of which was already in possession of the enemy. The One hundred and fifty-seventh was directed to fall back along the Plank road, so as to clear the front of the rifle-pit, which seemed to be well filled with men,, and to take position on the border of the woods behind. The Twenty-sixth Wisconsin had, in the meantime, been very severely pressed on the extreme right, and there the regiment lost somewhat its compactness, the woods being very thick and the wing companies becoming detached. It was at that moment when I rejoined you behind the rifle pit, which was manned in the center by some of Colonel buschbeck's regiments; on the left by several companies of the Seventy-fourth Pennsylvania, Sixty-first Ohio, and One hundred and nineteenth New York, and on the extreme right by the Eighty-second

Ohio. Several pieces of the Reserve Artillery were still firing.

Behind the rifle-pit there was a confused mass of men belonging to all divisions, whom we made every possible effort to rally and reorganize, a thing extremely difficult under the fire of the enemy. I succeeded once in gathering a numerous crowd, and, placing myself at its head, let it forward with a hurrah. It followed me some distance, but was again dispersed by the enemy's fire. One of my staff officers was wounded on that occasion. I tried the same experiment two or three times, but always with the same result.

The enemy advancing on our right and left with rapidity, the artillery ceased firing, and soon the rifle-pit was given up. The Eighty-second Ohio maintained itself very bravely there until the whole of the rifle-pit was abandoned. The loss of that regiment on this spot was very heavy. It was then after 7 p. m.

The retreat now became general, and the confusion increased as the troops marched through the woods. The One hundred and fifty-seventh New York, still in good order, stopped several times, firing and charging upon the pursuing enemy.

Captain Dilger had sent his battery toward Chancellorsville, keeping one piece with him, which he borough several times into action with very good success during the retreat of the corps. the Twenty-sixth Wisconsin, Eighty-second Ohio, One hundred and fifty-seventh New York, and the Eighty-second Illinois halted on the right of a line occupied by what was supposed to be General Berry's division. There they remained until about 8.30 p. m., when they retreated farther, to an open space north of Chancellorsville.

After 9 o'clock, the order reached them to march to the rallying place of the Eleventh Corps, west of the Chancellor house. I rallied large fragments of several regiments partly behind the abatis in the woods, partly a little farther back, near the creek west of the Chancellor house. It was about 9 o'clock when I marched with them to the general rendezvous. The corps was reorganized before 11 o'clock.

Early on the morning of May 3, I was ordered to relieve General Humphreys' division, on the extreme left of the army,, near Scott's Mills. Nothing happened in my front except a little skirmishing.

At about 11 p. m. I was relieved by the Twelfth Corps, and then took position behind the First Division, which was deployed in the rifle-pits, our right resting on the Second Corps.

In the course of the 4th, my division took a more concentrated position, five regiments being deployed in the rifle-pits and five in column, in the second line, on the extreme right of the corps. Nothing but light skirmishing in our front. So my division remained on the 5th.

Early on the morning of the 6th, we recrossed the Rappahannock at

42 R R-VOL XXV, PT I