Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-05-18
continued to press the Hessians until night
closed in around him.

NAOoAW Jill pCH. hCC udu OIuClOu OIOdit
(now commanding Jackson's corps) to pass
around above and to the left Of 'Chancellors-
vile and endeavor to gain the Ely's Ford road,
in the enemy's rear. This he did after but
a slight resistance from the enemy. Gen.
Anderson, with three brigades-Wrighfs,
Posey's and P~erry's-was directed to pass
down. the road to the right and below Chan
cellorsville, and endeavor to gain the United
States Ford road in the enemy's rear. This
was not accomplished, owing to the thick
woods and heavy force Of the enemy. Ander-
son worked his way down as far as the Did
Mine road, one a half miles below the United
States Ford, where, about night, he eEcoun-
tered a heavy ~force.o the eremy posted On the
heights above Childs' house, with a battery
of eight guns in position behind ~earthworks.
Here he rested for the night. Early next
morning Anderson was ordered down to
Salem Church to the support of McLaws.-
The enemy were massing during the night a
heavy force on McLaws' left, evidently with
a view Of forcing or turning his left flank and
making a connection with Hooker's left at or
near United States Ford. This could be
done by forcing McLaws' left and getting
possession of the river road which fell into
the Old Mine road near Childs' house.
Anderson moved rapidly down to McLaws
support, reaching Salem Church "a distance
of fifteen miles, by IL M. Here, after a brief
halt, during which time General Lee came
upon the field, Anderson was ordered to
move round in rear and south of Salem
Church, and proceeding through the woods
to form his right upon Earls's left, then near
" opposite Guests house and a little
above Marye's Heights, which point Early
had that morning retaken from the enemy.
Gen. Lee having discovered that the enemy
had weakened his left in his efforts to force
McLaws' left, thus concentrated a strong force
upon his weak point and at the concerted sig
nal, just before sunset Early and Anderson
rushed upon the Yankees extreme left. Our
men broke through the woods and over the
fields, like a perfect hurricane, and the Yam
KEGS gave way with hardly a struggle. By
some accident a portion of Hays brigade was
captured, though the whole affair has been
greatly exaggerated. The charge ofHooker's
brigade, Early's division, and Wright's bri-
gade, Anderson's division, elected the high
est praise from Gen. Lee, Fho, from an emf
nence, witnessed the whole fight. Ander-
son and EARLY continued to press the Yankees
until night, when he had driven them entire
ly across and to the north side of the plank
road, while McLaws had not only held them
in check on our left, but had, with Wilcox's,
Wofford's and Kershaw's brigades, driven
the enemy some distance before him. AS
dark closed in. we paused for a few minutes
for the moons rising, when our whole line
again advanced, and drove the enemy before
us into the river at Banks Ford, eight miles
above Fredericksburg. We did not permiN
him to cross without molestation, but pep
pere6 him severely with musketry and artil
lery during the whole time he was crossing
u;c loco NJ uoru Oraat oCnonio1lu in nriS
oners, a great number of which we captured
This was Monday evening.
The enemy being driven from every poin
around Fredericksburg, General Lee determ
ined to make short work of Hooker at U. S
Ford. Therefore, leaving McLaws and Ear
ly to watch Fredericksburg, on Tuesda,
at noon, Anderson, with his whole division
was ordered to move rapidly back to Chan
= cellorsville. This was accomplished in
drenching rain, and at night we encampe
at the latter place, ready for the morning
work. During the day before, Stuart ha
been actively engaged capturing a great ma
ny of the struggling Yankees, and p~erfectin
arrangements for the last final and decisiv
blow, to be struck on Wednesday. The raj
continued to pour all night Tuesday, and, O
Wednesday morning fell in such torrents a
to prevent our movement before nine O'Clock
But then, lol the Yankees were gone
Taking advantage of the stormy night, Hool
er had withdrawn the shattered remnants
his army, and now was safe on the oth'
side of Jordan" (Rappahannock.) We Cal
tured q great many prisoners, who we,
found lost in the woods, and got possessic
of quantity of small arms, ammunitio
&c. And thus ended this great aoeeEs D0r
Is the country satisfied? The force of the e
envy must have amounted to at least 130
900 or $50, 900 men, ours to less than 5(
600. We have captured 10000 prisoner
took %, 900 or 80, 900 stand of small arm
and killed and wounded at least $4,000
10000 of the euepy. This we think, a go
weeks work. A.