The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-16

''use him up." Signed: Daniel Butterfeld, Major General. Chief of Staff"
 Following this order, an hour later. General sedgwick was further instructed to "seize the mayor of Fredericksburg or any citizen. Put them ahead as guides on pain of death for false information" ]" This dispatch concludes. saying: .T will send you one Ca guid) if can.'
 And the guide is found. For another dispatch to Sedgwick, the leader of this forIorn hope, quickly follows, reading: 'T send you contraband. who knows the plank road leading to Charlottesville Push on without delay. have ordered Gfbbon over the river tonight, and to avoid interference with your column. will have the pontoon bridge laid at the Lacy house for him. Look out that your troops do not come in contact with his."
 And, still anxiety grows at headquarters of the federal army, for. at midnight, on the eventful May 2. Sedgwick received a further dispatch from Rockers chief of staff, although having somewhat the character of a wail is yet hopeful that possibly Sedgwick would be able to turn defeat into victory. The dispatch reads: Prom the statement brought by General
 
 portance that you should fall upon Lees rear with crushing force. He will ex- plain all to you. Give your advance to one that will do all that the emergency of the case requires" When it Is borne in mind that all of these despatches were transmitted to General Sedgewick on the night of May ?, in about two hours, some idea may be formed of the trepidatfon and anxiety that prevailed at the head quarters of the Army of the Potomac.
 But Fighting Joe'' Hooker was hopeful to the last At o'clock, the morning of the Sd, he dispatched General Sedgewick, in effect, that "any force in his front must be small one, and must not check lis advance" And. at 10 a. m, Hooker again dispatched Sedgewick: You will hurry up your column. The enemys right flank now rests near the plank road at Charlottesville, all exposed You will attack at once"
 Having thus shown Hooker's plan of at tack on Lees rear. and his certainty of federal success to flow from 1t, we come now to say something of the action of Wilcox's brigade of Alabama troops, who regardless of vastly superior numbers of the enemy, blocked his way at Salem Church, defeated his forces and with endorsements, drove them across the river.
 On the crossing of Hooker's army .at Chancellorsville, Wilcox's brigade was or dered to that point, but was not seriously engaged It was now sent to Banks Ford with instructions to hold it at all hazards, it being reported that the enemy In large force was threatening to cross.
 May 2, the brigade remained near Banks Ford. On the morning of the Sd, as General Wilcox states in his official report, q found the enemy had very much reduced his forces. The sentineis on post had their haversacks on, thing unusual. This induced me to believe that much of the force from Banks Ford had been sent to Charlottesville and having been ordered the day before by the com manding general to leave small force to watch the ford if, in my Judgment, was satisfied that the enemy did not in- tend to cross, and then move up the plank road, reporting the fact to him. I re- lieved my pickets. being convinced, as stated. that the enemy had removed most of his forces from Banks Ford, and did not intend crossing there. Leaving only about fifty men and two pieces of artillery to guard Banks Ford, my command was being formed to march to Chanceliorsville when one of my pickets dnfaptry) came running from the canal in front of pr. Taylor's to report to me that the enemy