322

time. By a skillful movement Lee, on May 2d, threw Jackson in Hooker's rear
and administered to that General a severe blow. Unhappily, that night the great
Jackson was fired upon by some of his own men through a mistake, and he died
a few days later from the wounds he received.

While these operations were in progress at Chancellorsville, General Early,
by skillful manoeuvring had detained Sedgwick at Fredericksburg until the 3d,
when that General, by a determined advance, forced Early back and carried
Marye's Heights, and then proceeded toward Chancellorsville to assist Hooker,
who was sorely pressed. But Sedgwick was intercepted at Salem Church by
Wilcox, whom General Lee had dispatched for the purpose, and the Federal
General suffered a severe defeat.

The Chesapeake battery was attached to Early's command, and therefore
was not, properly speaking, engaged at Chancellorsville, although it was rather
a continuous line of battle, though in a detached way.

The position occupied by the Chesapeake in this engagement was near
Hamilton's Crossing, or nearly upon the same ground occupied by the battery
on the 13th of December previous. The accurate firing of the battery attracted
much attention, and it did great execution, although it lost heavily itself. Nothing
could restrain the enthusiasm of the men. After one of his favorite shots, jumping
to the top of the parapet to watch its effect, Tom Carberry had his right leg
carried away.

But Dement, close by, was in trouble. His twelve-pound Napoleons were no
match for the long-range guns opposed to him, and the Chesapeake was ordered
to take his place. It was a position fraught with great danger.

Under cover of their batteries, the Federals crossed the river in great numbers
and advanced toward the Confederates. Down to the right was a piece of woods,
and in the woods were several batteries. This was unknown to the advancing
enemy, who came on with beautiful precision, and not a shot was fired from this
woods until they were within short range, when a murderous fire greeted them.
To this the Chesapeake contributed its share. The column was staggered, but.
recovering, they still pressed on; but human flesh and blood could not withstand
that fire, and the column broke. Then General Anderson sent forward his Georgia
infantry, and the rout became general, but few of that fated column escaping
across the river.

To the left the Confederates were not so successful, and the enemy swept over
Marye's Heights and captured several hundred prisoners and a few pieces of the
Washington Artillery. This temporary success compelled the Confederate right
to fall back some distance, but upon Sedgwick hastily retreating to avoid being
crushed between Early, Wilcox and McLaws the artillery advanced and resumed
their former positions.