The Portland daily press., 1863-05-19
COMMUNICATIONS.
The Third Corps at ChanceIIorville.
LETTER FROM THE SEVENTEENTH MAINE

CAMP SIcKLEs, May 0, 1863.
To the Editor Of the Press;
Another great battle has been fought, of
which you have doubtless given full particu-
lars 10 your readers. l shall attempt to give
no idea of the general features of the move
ment, AS those whose opportunities for acqur-
ing Information OF the general movements of
the army very much exceed mine, have already
given to the public the results of their obser-
vaLions. But there are many of your readers
who have friends In this regiment, and they
may be glad to know the part which we took
in the fight.
On Tuesday, April 2s, at p. m, we broke
camp, and marched down and towards the
river, halting at about p. IN. in a wood about
one mile from the place where we crossed and
recrossed in December last. We bivouacked
in the woods tor the night, and were reused
at dawn by the bugle reyeille, and were soon
under arms. We could hear from our position
the firing at the crossing of the river
by the troops of Gems. Reynolds and Sedg-
wick, and We were in momentary expectation
OF being ordered to join in the conflict. This
was at about o a. IN. of Wednesday While
waiting here for orders TO move, we were called
together and very appropriate and impress
slve prayer offered by our new chaplain, Rev.
Mr. Hayden. We marched toward the river a
mile or two at about a. M, and halted in a
valley, where we were out of view fromthe op-
posite side of the river. We remained through
the afternoon and night. AT about ten O'clock
the following morning general order from
Gen. Hooker was read to us, announcing that
"the enemy must now fight us on our own
ground where certain destruction awaits him,
or ignominiously fly. The operations of the 9th,
1lthand 18th corps for the past three days have
been series OF splendid achievements" This
was received with cheers. At d. IN. we moved
again, marching rapidly from that hour till
half past Ii at night, and hating within
mile or two OF United States ford, eleven miles
above Falmouth. We must have been four
miles below, making the distance marched in
ten hours or thereabouts Is miles. This, tax
ing into consideration that we carried eight
days rations, which, with blanket, arms, am
munition, &C., amounts to near 60 pounds, was
pretty rapid work. We lay down most of us,
on our rubber blankets spread upon the mud,
and slept souIdly till 5, when the bugle again
aroused US.
As we approached the ford, the other divis-
ions of our corps we're seen coming in on the
roads converging here, and before 10 o'clock
the whole corps was safely across, and resting
in the fields above the deserted rifle pits and
other fortiiicatons. After an hour or two of
repose, we marched forward through the woods
in the direction Of Chancellorvlle, and at
O'Clock, halted within three-fourths of mile
vi tuit ptdtcs sJuou diIcT Ouf HAT, utSultOTy
fire commenced at the front, apparently about
mile and half from us, aud was kept up till
about 5, when we were ordered forward. We
marched TO Chancellorville, "a single good
looking brick house being dignifed by
that name and our division formed in the
rear of it. We remained here but short time,
our batteries in front OF our right playing upon
the enemy, when we were ordered to the right
down the plank road, the rebels saluting us
xpif Iau hi ittxnp 4, ch..lI- "A
Near this road we halted and bivouaeked for
the night.
The next morning there was but little fight
ing until after IL clock. Our batteries were
occasionally shelling the woods, but eliciting
no reply from the Rebels. About noon we were
ordered into line and moved forward in di-
rection at right angles with the plank road. i.
We pushed throdgh thick growth of small
pines,-skirting the road aud extending from
one fourth to half mile = through an open
field and through thick scraggy "scruboak'
thlcket covering the side aud summit of a
considerable hill. On the further side of this
our batteries and sharpshooters engaged the
rebels tor an hour or two and succeeded in
driving them. We then made a rapid march
to the right and forward and abont sunset had,
as we supposed. bagged in a swamp a brigade
or two of Rebels, when the order came for US
TO retire very quietly, which we did. At about
nine we arrived in the open field before men,
toned, and learned that the enemy had attack
ed our right wing with an overwhelming
force. driven the Il lth corps from the rifle pits
on and in front of the plank road and held the
position we had occupied in the morning. 1t
seemed that while we had been busy "bagging"
brigade or two, they had come very near
bagging corps. There were long faces, as
this intelligence fell upon our ears. We were
nearly surrounded, and our communication
with the main body and with one division
lBerry'sl of our own corps was cut of. The
rebels were on either flank and in the rear our
case looked desperate.
l lay down at once in dry ditch, wrapped
in my rubber blanket, and slept soundly for
an hour or two, when was rwakeaed and in
formed that Wards brigade of our division,
supported by our own, was TO charge upon the
enemy with the bayonet, with the forlorn hope
oil driving them out The proposition seemed
desperate one but it was evidently our only
chance. Most of us felt that our chances for
life were very small. Fer myself, | thought
Ishould never see the sun rise again, and bade
good bye to my brother officers, as Thought
for the last time. The generals who were to
to be engaged in the attack, each took leave
of his staff, and all made up their minds for a
desperate and bloody struggle. There was
no faltering; every man seemed firm in his
determination to do his duty. At about |
o'clock the column advanced to the attack
The night was clear and beautiful, the moou
SHINING brightly, and no sound broke the still
ness except the tramp of the advancing col
umn. Wards brigade consisted of the Sd and
4th Maine, the 3Sth and 10th New York, and
the 99th Pennsylvania, advanced by the right
of companies. Our regiment supported the
4Oth New York, and advanced in column by
companies. We were on the left of the line
and mached up the cross road, leading through