e surprise, if not to create a feeling of
uncertainty.

Sedgwick changed his dispositions as speedily as possible, and sent out
his orders to his subordinates within fifteen minutes after receipt
of Hooker's despatch; but it was considerably after midnight before he
could actually get his command faced about, and start the new head of
column toward Fredericksburg.

Knowing the town to be occupied by the Confederates, Sedgwick was
obliged to proceed with reasonable caution the five or six miles which
separated his command from Fredericksburg. And the enemy appears to have
been sufficiently on the alert to take immediate measures to check his
progress as effectually as it could with the troops at hand.

Fredericksburg and the heights beyond were held by Early's division and
Barksdale's brigade, with an adequate supply of artillery,--in all some
eighty-five hundred men. Sedgwick speaks, in his testimony before the
Committee on the Conduct of the War, as if he understood at this time
that Early controlled a force as large as his own; but he had been
advised by Butterfield that the force was judged to be much smaller than
it actually was.

In his report, Early does not mention Sedgwick's advance on the
Bowling-Green road, nor is it probable that Sedgwick had done more than
to advance a strong skirmish-line beyond his column in that direction.
Early's line lay, in fact, upon the heights back of the road, his right
at Hamilton's Crossing, and with no considerable force on the
road itself. So that Sedgwick's advance was skirmishing with
scouting-parties, sent out to impede his march.

Early had received general instructions from Lee, in case Sedgwick
should remove from his front, to leave a small force to hold
the position, and proceed up the river to join the forces at
Chancellorsville. About eleven A.M. on the 2d, this order was repeated,
but by error in delivery (says Lee) made unconditional. Early,
therefore, left Hays and one regiment of Barksdale at Fredericksburg,
and, sending part of Pendleton's artillery to the rear, at once began to
move his command along the plank road to join his chief.

As this manoeuvre was in progress, his attention was called to the early
movements of Sedgwick, and, sending to Lee information on this point, he
received in reply a correction of the misdelivered order. He therefore
about-faced, and returned to his position at a rapid gait.

It is doubtful whether by daylight, and without a