, so that the camps presented a pleasant
appearance; but we had little time to enjoy these, for as soon as the
roads began to be passable, preparations were pushed forward for the
spring campaign.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE CHANCELLORSVILLE CAMPAIGN.

Orders to move--The river crossed--Sedgwick's command--The First
corps withdrawn--Gallant conduct of the Light
division--Advancing to the heights--The line of battle--The
columns of attack--Attack of Howe's columns--Of Newton's
column--Of Burnham's--Misfortune following victory--Fight of
Bartlett's brigade--The First division at work--A critical
position--The Sixth corps surrounded--Savage fight of Neill's
brigade--The corps withdraws to Banks' Ford--Recrosses the
river--Hooker's operations on the right--Position of the
corps--Rout of the Eleventh corps--The rebels repulsed--Jackson
renews the attack--The rebels again repulsed--Hooker recrosses
the river.

On Tuesday, the 28th of April, the Sixth corps received orders to break
up its camp and be ready to march at a moment's notice. Eight days'
rations had been issued to the men, who were in the highest spirits,
having forgotten all their former discouragements, and were now only
anxious for an encounter with the enemy. A storm of rain of some
violence set in on the morning of the 28th, which rendered marching
difficult. At twelve o'clock we received the order to "fall in," and in
five minutes we were on our way to take our place in the line of battle.
A march of six miles through thickets and bogs, brought us to the rear
of Falmouth Station, at a short distance from the river. Here we
bivouacked for the night, and were awakened before daylight in the
morning by the sound of artillery and musketry at the river, where
Russell's brigade, of the First division, was forcing a passage across
the stream. The Second division only had been allowed to rest quietly
during the night. The men of the Light brigade had toiled from dark
until nearly dawn, carrying the pontoon boats on their shoulders to the
river side, and launching them in the stream. So noiselessly had they
conducted their operations, that the pickets of the enemy took no alarm
until they suddenly saw the braves of Russell's brigade approaching in
the boats, just as dawn was breaking. The astonished confederates fired
a few volleys of musketry, and our guns threw among them a few charges
of cannister, and the rebels