The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-16
w HE battle of Salem Church, vir- ginia, whether regarded for the
 great disparity of numbers en-

mszz HE battle of Salem Church. Vir-
 ginia, whether regarded for the
 great disparity of numbers en- gagged in the opposing forces, or the im- portance and far reaching effect of it's re- suits, is scarcely surpassed in the whole history of the war between the states. It was fought on Sunday afternoon, May 3, 1886 around a country church three miles from fredericksburg, on the plank road leading to Orange.
 The forces engaged on the part of the federals were the Sixth army corps, com manded by Major General John Sedgwicl1, and the Second Division of the Second Army corps, commanded by Brigadier- General John Gibbon, aggregating an army of nearly 30,0O0 men. Opposed to this great force. and between it and Lees rear, where veterans had been fighting the federals under Hooker for two days, were but few small detached confeder- ate commands--of these commands the most active and timely on the ground was Wilcox's brigade of Alabamians, and on whom the brunt of the battle was des- tined to fall
 
 may be informed as to the conditions and surroundings, of part of the army of Northern Virginia for some months proceeding the battle of Chancellorsville. few facts may be briefly cited. After the battle of Fredericksburg, occurring on December 1S, 1862, the army remained encamped on the south side of the Rap pahannock until the latter part of April following. The federal army occupied the north side of the river, opposite Fred ericksburg, extending through Stafford county to the Potomac. The brigades of Malone and Posey were stationed near the United States mine on Bark NH ford, to guard it's crossing and approach es. Wilcoxs brigade was assigned the task of guarding Banks ford. and the surviving veterans of Wilcox's old bri- gade will hardly fail to recall this period of inactivity in the pine thickets above Fredericksburg, where they were en- camped. The cavalry was distributed on both Hanks. w. H. F. Lees brigade operated about Port Royal. while Fitz- hugh Lee picketed the Rappahannock above the mouth of the Rappahannock- and both under the command of Stuart. Hampton was sent off to recruit. Long, street, with two divisions of his corps, was on detached duty south of the James river, and did not rejoin the army till after the battle of Chancellorsville. With the exception of the cavalry fight at Kelly's Ford on March 17, in which "the gallant Pelham fell, had been no event in all these long months to disturb the quiet either of the Potomac or the Rap pahannock.
 But, with the latter days of April, there came an end to this long quiescent period. It is not proposed to write of the battle of Chancellorsville. but to get up to the bat tie of Salem Church. It is necessary to state that Hooker, in command of his vast federal army. crossed the Rappahan- mock on April 30, took a strong position near Charlottesville, from which he was driven by the confederate army after two days hard fighting Hooker now en- trenched In a strong position south of the river and though defeated with great loss seemed to gather hope in his hour of de- spair from that part of his plan of bat tie intrusted to Sedgwick and Gibbon, With tne1r 5U,VUO lTeSH leueIdi sOlulers. From his entrenchment, he wired Presi- dent Lincoln, in effect. admitting that his lines had been forced from their position with great loss, but all would be changed when he should hear from his plan of at- tack in Lees rear. then In process of exc cution.
 The plan of this rear attack is better illustrated by Hookers daring orders to Sedgwick the first of which reads as fol- lows:
 Headquarters Army of the Potomac, May, 2, 1863, 10 p. m.-The major general commanding directs that you can cross the Rappahannock at Fredericksburg on | the receipt of this order, and at once take up your line of march on the Chancel- lorsville road, until you connect with him. You will attack and destroy any force you may fall in with on the road. You will leave all your trains behind. except the pack mule trains of small ammunition. and march to be in the vicinity of the 1 general at daylight. You will probably fall upon the forces commanded by Gen. eral Lee. and between you and the ma 5or-general commanding. he expects to.