repulse at the beginning of
the winter. Hooker decided to distract the attention of the Confederates
by letting a small portion of his force, under General Sedgwick, attack
Fredericksburg, while he himself took the bulk of the army across the
river to the right hand so as to crush Lee by an assault on his flank.
All went well at the beginning, and on the first of May Hooker found
himself at Chancellorsville, face-to-face with the bulk of Lee's
forces; and Sedgwick, crossing the river and charging with the utmost
determination, had driven out of Fredericksburg the Confederate division
of Early; but when Hooker found himself in front of Lee he hesitated,
faltered instead of pushing on, and allowed the consummate general to
whom he was opposed to take the initiative.

Lee fully realized his danger, and saw that his only chance was, first
to beat back Hooker, and then to turn and overwhelm Sedgwick, who was in
his rear. He consulted with Jackson, and Jackson begged to be allowed
to make one of his favorite flank attacks upon the Union army; attacks
which could have been successfully delivered only by a skilled and
resolute general, and by troops equally able to march and to fight. Lee
consented, and Jackson at once made off. The country was thickly covered
with a forest of rather small growth, for it was a wild region, in which
there was still plenty of game. Shielded by the forest, Jackson marched
his gray columns rapidly to the left along the narrow country roads
until he was square on the flank of the Union right wing, which was held
by the Eleventh Corps, under Howard. The Union scouts got track of the
movement and reported it at headquarters, but the Union generals thought
the Confederates were retreating; and when finally the scouts brought
word to Howard that he was menaced by a flank attack he paid no heed to
the information, and actually let his whole corps be surprised in broad
daylight. Yet all the while the battle was going on elsewhere, and
Berdan's sharpshooters had surrounded and captured a Georgia regiment,
from which information was received showing definitely that Jackson was
not retreating, and must be preparing to strike a heavy blow.

The Eleventh Corps had not the slightest idea that it was about to be
assailed. The men were not even in line. Many of them had stacked their
muskets and were lounging about, some playing cards, others cooking
supper, intermingled with the pack-mules and beef cattle. While