The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-04-15
A HERO AMONG HEROES.
sTONEwALL JACKSON AT THE BAT.
TIE or CHANCELLORSvILL

The Tribute or ~ Federal Soldier to the
Military Genius of "tho Most AblC Lieu
tenant OF our Civil War;"
The fourth lecture of q series on the
civil war at the Lowell Institute, Bos-
ton, was delivered some time ago by
Col. Theodore A. Dodge, one of the best
known men in Boston military circles.
lie served constantly IN the Army of
the Potomac Gin every volunteer reg
mental rank up to that Of coloneD,
from the Peninsula, where ho was
with Kearney, through Pope's and
Burnsidcs campaigns, and at Chan
celorsville aud Gettysburg.
The subject of Col. Dudge's lecture
was "ChancellorSville," aud particu-
larly the great flank movement Uof
Stonewall jackson which turned the |
tide Of war on the memorable second |
of May, 1862.
Col. Dodge related in detail the !
movements Of the Army of the Poto-
mac which led to their assuming posi-
ton at charlottesville, ahd gives the
position OF the two armies WHEN tHBVr1
confronted each other on the day OF
Hooker. Col. Dodge says:
The ARM Of the Potomac on Fri.
day night lay huddlcd in the chappa-
raj around charlottesville, instead of
occupy. as they might, 1t well defined
position on The open ground in front
Banks Ford. Gradually during the
night the several corps driftcd, weary
and diShcarlcncd at this unexplained
check in the midst of success, into the
position which thoy had taken mp after
crossing the river, without any idea of
fighting there. The line was thus u
haphazard one, on the worst concciva-
bic ground, where cavalry was useless,
artillery confined to- the roads or to- a
few open spaces, and infantry hidden
or paralyZcd.
During this night, while the Army
OF Northern Virginia was moving into
position i'll front of its gigantic, but
apparently unnervcd enemy, Lee
and Jackson developed Il plan for an
attack upon our right, which, though
posted on high ground, was really in
the air. Lee may have originated the
plan, but it bears IL distinctly Jack
sonian flavor; and, surely, without
such h lieutenant 10 execute ii, Leo
would never have dreamed Of making
such risky move, - The plan gave
jackson abonl -, 900 men. with which
to undertake q march around our
right flank to y position whore he
might cut us off from United States
Ford. 1t was ultrahazarduuS, for it
separated small army in the presence
of large one. 1t was 'juetiiAblc only
on the ground that llou2er evidently
meant to retain the defensive that the
Il L., a.
eye by the woods; that there seemed
no more available plan, that some i'm
mediate action was demanded. Had
it failed, it would, have met the cen.
sure of every soldier. No maxim OF
tactics applies to it so well as tn,
proverb, "Nothing venture, nothing
gain"
Although JaCkson's corps had bccl
on foot and -partially engaged for som
thirty hours, the men set out on thi
new march with cheerful nlnCrity
They could always follow "Old Jack
with their eyes shut. Stunrt's cavulr
masked the advance. jackson did nc
know tEat his column would have {
pass some open ground in full view
our line at Dowdal's until too late t
have it follow Il better concealed route
Early Saturday morning the NOV,
ment was discovered by tho 3d corp.
and reconnaissance was pushed OH
to embarrass its advance. After som
trouble and Il slight and sue
ccsstul attack, Birncy ascertaine
and reported that Jackson wa
moving over to- our right. The con
clusion which Hooker drew from mi
fact was apparently that Lee was rc
treating. Juckson meanwhile kccpin!
Slcklcs busy with Il small rear guard
advanced along the Brock road until
toward afternoon, he was abreast ant
in the rear oi our right flank. Whil,
he was thus amussiug his men to tax,
the Army ofthc PotoInac in reverse
Hooker continued to authorize Sickle
to deplcte the threatened wing b,
sending largo part OF. its available
strength (Bnrlow, Birnev, Whippl
ana Geary IN p9rt-some $4,000 men
out in the woods in the hope of cap
turing the force which had long 'ag
cluded his graspnnd was ready to fal
upon our rear. Hookcrs's right hau
OF barely 10000 men was completed
isolated. And yet, though Scouts
pickets and al actual attack 8
$50 p. m. proved beyond peradvor
ture, Jackson's presence at this poin
Hooker allowed this flank to be hcl
by al untricd corps composed of tn
most Heterogeneous and untrust " on
thy elements in the Army Of the Potc
mac.
This march. of Jackson's' might a
first blush have been construed b
Hooker 10 be either q retreat D
strategic march by Lee to new gro,ln
or to be n threatened flank attack
Eithcr would, ,haYe been accompanie
by the same tacticai symptoms whic
now appeared. Ift the former, Hookc
had his option to attack at an earl
or late period, moro or less vigorously
as might appear best to him. Hookc
atterward claimed that he believed il
the flank attack. But the testimony {
his dispatches at the time finds hii
riding both horses, and nc acted o
the retreat theory. Al, 6,:30 u. m. h
had nQtifled Sloculn anu Howard I
look ont and pys pare: Tor flank attac
and tp post heavy reserves to me,
one. lie telcgrapned Sedgwick at / Il