Today in History:

830 Series I Volume XXV-I Serial 39 - Chancellorsville Part I

Page 830 N.VA., W.VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXVII.

was moved to the front. Arrived at Lee's Hill, I displayed my troops in the trenches and in reserve the three points, as directed by the major-general commanding.

With little variation, we remained in that position until midnight of the 30th, when, under the direction of the major-general commanding, I moved to Major-General Anderson's position on the Plank road, where we arrived about daylight, and were placed in the trenches extending to the right of the Turnpike road, and covering the way form Emory's Mills to the Plank road. About noon I received an order from the major-general commanding, through Major [E. L.] Costin, assistant inspector-general, to move up the Turnpike road to the front, but not to cut the line of General Jackson's march, the occupying the Plank road. Arrived at that road, the march was delayed by General Jackson's columns until I received an order through Major Costin to hasten to the front. Having all the troops on the way, I moved at once to a position a half mile beyond Zoar Church, and, under direction of the major-general commanding, formed a second line of battle to the left of the turnpike, in support of Generals Semmes and Mahone, them both engaged with the enemy, who, however, was soon repulsed. The whole line was then advanced to the heights in front of Chancellorsville, where we bivouacked at nightfall.

The next day (May 2) I formed line of battle on the front line, extending from Semmes' left to the Plank road, and threw out thirteen companies in the dense wood in my front, under Major D. B. Miller, of James' battalion [Third South Carolina Battalion], who, during the day, under orders from the major-general commanding, was directed to press the enemy continually, to keep him in position.

The next day a similar force was sent out, under the command of Captain G. B. Cuthbert, Second South Carolina Regiment, with similar orders. Early in the day, Captain Cuthbert was wounded in two places, and has since died. He was succeeded by Major F. Gaillard, of the same regiment. About 9 a.m. the whole line advanced to the attack of Chancellorsville, and by 11 o'clock our troops were in possession of that position, the skirmishers only having been engaged. Moving over to the Turnpike road to form a new front, under troops from the major-general commanding, I was directed by General R. E. Lee, in the presence of the major-general commanding, to move with General Mahone toward Fredericksburg, to check the advance of a column of the enemy reported coming up from that point, along the Plank road. Arriving at the intrenchments near Zoar Church, the major-general commanding came up, and directed the march to Salem Church. Upon our arrival, the enemy was shelling that position, then held by Wilcox's brigade. My brigade was formed to the right of Wilcox, along a cross-road running out in the direction of the Spotsylvania road. General Wofford's brigade formed on my right. I formed a second line 100 paces in rear of my left, composed of the Second South Carolina Regiment, Colonel [J. D.] Kennedy, and James' battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel [W. G.] Rice. The line had scarcely been formed before the enemy vigorously attacked the front of General Wilcox and the troops to his left. The Third South Carolina Regiment and part of James' battalion became engaged, but Wilcox's brigade soon repulsed the enemy.

The next day the line of battle of the enemy was discovered in our front, extending along a road from the toll-gate to a house about a half mile from the Plank road, where a battery was placed in position. From that point the line extended at an obtuse angle down Hazel Run,


Page 830 N.VA., W.VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXVII.