their rear. This was the second charge. In the first charge even this precaution did not hinder a precipitate retreat, some of the men falling back as far as the other side of the river. Thus the enemy, throwing ten regiments against one, carried the "crest." But the difference between this time and December was that two brigades then held the stone wall; now its defence was intrusted to a single brigade, and the point where the enemy forced our lines was guarded by a single regiment.

General A. P. Hill assumed command on Saturday night at Chancellorsville as soon as General Jackson was wounded, but he, in turn, being compelled to quit the field from a flesh-wound, the command devolved upon General Rhodes for a time. General Stuart was, however, at once

Chancellorsville, a single house ten miles above or rather south-west of Fredericksburgh, where the plank and turnpike roads come together, and from which a road leads off in the direction of Ely's, and thence branches to the United States Ford, is the central point of this great transaction. It was here that Hooker had his headquarters, and it is here that he was wounded slightly. The house was destroyed by our men by means of an incendiary shell thrown from a battery un-sent for, and on his arrival upon the field, asder the supervision of Major Carter M. Braxton. sumed control of the movements of Jackson's It was done pursuant to orders, and for the rea-corps-General A. P. Hill still, however, remainson that the Yankees used it as a cover for a bat-ing near the field, and advising in all the imtery which was playing upon our men. Not more portant operations of the corps. than one or two soldiers were burnt up in the building, though a number of wounded, principally of the enemy, were consumed by the burning of the woods, which were fired in the rear of Chancellorsville by the explosion of shells.

The enemy's wounded were strewn along the roadside from Salem Church to Wilderness Meeting-House, some twelve miles above town. The number, I ascertained from the surgeons of the enemy, some twelve in number, who remained, amount to about one thousand two hundred, and as late as Saturday were still being brought in.

The wounding of General Jackson has been minutely detailed to me by Captain Wilbourne, of his staff. The facts, in substance, are these: General Jackson, in company with a number of his own and a part of the staff of General A. P. Hill, had ridden beyond the front line of skirmishers, after the close of the fighting on Satur day night, as was often the habit of the General. When he had finished his observations, and as he was returning, he was fired upon through mistake by some of his own men, and was wounded in the right hand and on the left arm. At the same time all the rest of the party were either killed or wounded - including Captain Boswell, his engineer-excepting Captain Wilbourne, and perhaps one other person. The General at once said he was wounded, and as soon as possible was conveyed to the rear and his arm bandaged. Just then the enemy began an attack, and it was with difficulty that General Jackson was not injured in being borne from the There is every reason for believing that the field, as the firing both of small arms and artilloss of the enemy was very severe in this quarter.lery was very rapid, and the rain of shell and The best proof is the large number of dead horses which were everywhere to be seen, and their ungrateful smell made it almost impossible to pass over the field. Added to this, the prisoners informed me that their ambulances were busily engaged every day, and until late in the night of each day up to Tuesday morning, in the removal of the dead and wounded from the field.

The retreat to the United States Ford from Chancellorsville, bears evidence of the defeat which the enemy had sustained. There were no less than seven lines of breastworks, reaching from a half-mile beyond Chancellorsville back to the ford. These breastworks, or trenches, were on the most extensive scale, and were constructed of dirt and logs, with dead horses worked in and the approaches protected by felled trees.

balls fell thick and fast about him.

The messenger who carried General Lee the intelligence of this severe misfortune, tells me that he found the General on a bed of straw, about four o'clock in the morning, and that when told of what had occurred, his words were these: "Thank God it is no worse; God be praised that he is still alive;" and that he further said, Leaving the battle of Chancellorsville and com- "Any victory is a dear one that deprives us of ing back to this point, it may not be out of place the services of Jackson, even for a short time." to mention, what I have from unquestionable Upon the informant mentioning that he believed sources, that the Yankees were dealt rations of that it was General Jackson's intention to have whisky in order to get them up to Marye's pressed them on Sunday, had he not have fallen, Heights, and that each hindmost man was order- General Lee quietly said, "These people shall ed to strike down with the drawn bayonet the be pressed to-day," and at the same time rising, man in his front who faltered; that the rear-about four A.M. Hastily dressing, and partaking guard, with charged bayonets, urged on the whole column, ten lines deep, and that the men thus charged because the Yankee officers could not rely upon their men to use the bayonet, if once the pressure of the bayonet was withdrawn from

of his simple fare of ham and cracker, he sallied forth, I hear unattended, and made such disposi tions as rendered that Sabbath a blessed day for our cause, even though a Jackson had fallen among its leaders.

As every incident connected with these two great men must interest the reader, I will mention, as quite current, that when General Jackson received the letter which General Lee sent him on Sunday morning, bursting into tears he said: Far better for the Confederacy that ten Jack sons should have fallen than one Lee."

General Jackson, after receiving his wound, was conveyed to the house of Mr. Thos. Chandler, in Caroline, where all that skilful attention and attendance could afford to heal his wounds was done, but all in vain; his mission was fulfilled, his work was done; and the hero of the Valley campaign and the Stonewall of the South had passed from earth away.

Of Jackson it may be said what can be affirmed of but few men that have lived in this great struggle, that he has fulfilled a great purpose in history, wrought out the mission for which he was ordered of Providence, and that, "dying, he has left no stain which, living, he would wish to blot." His example, let us hope and believe, will survive him, and in the coming fight let Jackson's men Ishow to the world that " a dead Jackson shall win the field."

Who his successor will be, time alone can develop. It may not be out of place to indulge a hope that Jackson's wishes in regard to his successor shall be respected, if, indeed, it be true that he expressed a preference.

To make a recapitulation of the following events, we would say there were the following battles and participants: Wilderness, fifteen miles above Fredericksburgh, where Jackson succeeded in turning the enemy's flank. This may be called, for a proper understanding of the matter, the battle of the Wilderness. It was here that Jackson turned the enemy's flank on Saturday evening, with D. H. Hill's and Trimble's divisions. The next was the fight of Chancellorsville, to which point the enemy fell back on Saturday evening, and around which they centred and made their best fight, lasting from dawn until midday of Sunday. In this fight, D. H. Hill and Trimble pressed them from above, whilst A. P. Hill, McLaws, and Anderson not only held them in check in attempting to force our lower lines, but aided in driving them from their breastworks, and accomplished the great victory of Sunday, which, indeed, was the turning-point in the whole affair. The taking of the heights on Sunday morning may properly be called the battle of Fredericksburgh. There were at this point Barksdale's brigade of McLaws's division, and a part, I think, of Hayes's Louisiana brigade, though of this I am not positive.

which route the enemy succeeded in recrossing the river. The troops engaged on our side were the divisions of Anderson and McLaws, who held the positions nearest the river, on the upper line, and the brigades of Hays, Hoke, and Lawton on the lower line; whilst the Mississippians, under Barksdale, and Smith's brigade of Early's division, guarded the rear from an attack outward from Fredericksburgh-the heights having been previously taken, without the firing of a gun, on Monday morning by Gordon's brigade, with charged bayonets. This was a glorious achievement, the crowning act of the great drama. It may be fitly called, we think, the "rout at Banks's Ford."

In order to give some idea of this great occasion in our history, I have thus endeavored to outline what will hereafter be written in detail and with accuracy by abler pens. It would afford me unalloyed satisfaction, not only to speak of the regiments and brigades which especially deserve mention, but, going a step further, I would wish to be possessed of information sufficient to enable me to set forth the many acts of daring bravery and gallantry of our officers, but of the private soldiers as well. This, however, is impossible. It may, however, be some satisfaction to those who cannot be specially remembered, for me to say that I have from the highest authority that no battle-fields of this war are more prolific in the gallant deeds of brave men than those through which our armies have just passed. Yet, where so many brave feats have been accomplished, the statement ought, in some measure, to relieve the ignorance and inability of correspondents to do justice; and where those are omitted, of whom mention ought to be made, let such remember that the general rule is, that all deserve well of their country in the army of Northern Virginia, and if there be any exceptions to it, the exceptions are as the motes upon the sunbeams, which are obscured and lost in the brilliancy of that luminary.

I have well-nigh finished my story. All that is necessary to complete it will be the mention of the arrests of nearly all males whom the enemy found in their lines on this side of the river outside of the town. Inside of town none were disturbed. Some dozen or more were thus spirited away. So it goes, fire and sword, and an abrogation of personal liberty follow in the march of these cruel people. The rich and fertile valley of the Rappahannock, once at this season so resplendent with its fields of waving grain, the abundant rewards of an honest husbandry, no longer greet the eye. But the sight is saluted in The next engagement was on Sunday evening. the stead with an uncultivated tract of fertile The troops here engaged consisted of Ander- land, with here and there the charred ruins of son's and McLaws's. This occurred near Salem some fine house of colonial style and construcChurch, about four miles south-west of Fredericks- tion. This poor old town, too, battered, and, in burgh, and may, we suppose, be regarded as the some instances, demolished, is just now smiling battle of Salem Church. The result of this fight in the gay robes of rich, ripe verdure with which was, that our men drove the enemy back fully a spring has bedecked her. She is far from finishmile in the direction of Fredericksburgh. The ed, and will yet live in history, an undying meclosing engagements occurred along the line of morial of the brutality of our foe, and an imperthe plank-road and toward Banks's Ford, by ishable monument of sacrificing patriotism.

Doc. 184.

CAPTURE OF GRAND GULF, MISSISSIPPI.

ADMIRAL D. D. PORTER'S REPORT.

Doc. 185.

FIGHT AT WARRENTON JUNCTION, VA. FAIRFAX COURT-HOUSE, May 4, 1868. FLAG-SHIP BENTON, GRAND GULF, MISS., May 3, 1863. Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy: THE telegraph last evening conveyed the intelSIR: I have the honor to report, that I got ligence of a fight at Warrenton Junction between under way this morning with the Lafayette, a portion of Stahel's cavalry, under command of Carondelet, Mound City, and Pittsburgh, and Colonel De Forrest, and Moseby's guerrillas. The proceeded up to the forts at Grand Gulf for the rebels, numbering about three hundred, succeedpurpose of attacking them again, if they had noted in passing the outposts between eight and been abandoned. The enemy had left before we nine o'clock yesterday morning. They then got up, blowing up their ammunition, spiking made a dash upon some eighty men of the First their large guns, and burying or taking away Virginia, who were dismounted, feeding their the lighter ones. The armament consisted of horses. These men finding that they could not thirteen guns in all. The works are of the most mount in time to resist the attack, prepared to As the rebels came extensive kind, and would seem to defy the defend themselves on foot. efforts of a much heavier fleet than the one which up, they gave them a volley which emptied a silenced them. The forts were literally torn to number of saddles and checked the onset. A pieces by the accuracy of our fire. Colonel desperate fight now occurred, and for a short Wade, the commandant of the batteries, was time the First Virginia succeeded in keeping them killed, also his chief of staff. Eleven men were at bay. But numbers told, and the rebels capkilled that we know of, and our informant says tured about half the force, the others fighting that many were wounded, and that no one was gallantly. One of our men was shot after he permitted to go inside the forts after the action, had given up his arms, and this cowardly act aroused his comrades for revenge. except those belonging there.

We had a hard fight for these forts, and it is with real pleasure that I report that the navy holds the door to Vicksburgh. Grand Gulf is the strongest place on the Mississippi. Had the enemy succeeded in finishing the fortifications, no fleet could have taken them.

I have been all over the works and found them as follows: One fort on a point of rocks, seventyfive feet high, calculated for six or seven guns, mounting two seven-inch rifles and one eightinch and one Parrott gun on wheels, which was carried off. On the left of this work is a triangular work calculated to mount one heavy gun. These works are connected with another fort by a covered way and double rifle-pits extending one quarter of a mile, constructed with much labor and showing great skill on the part of the constructor. The third fort commands the river in all directions. It mounted one splendid Blakely one hundred pounder, one eight-inch and two thirty pounders. The latter were lying bursted or broken on the ground.

The gunboats had so covered up every thing with earth that it was impossible to see at first what was there, with the exception of the guns that were dismounted or broken.

Every gun that fell into our hands was in good condition, and we found a large quantity of am

munition.

These are by far the most extensively built works, with the exception of those at Vicksburgh, I have seen yet, and I am happy to that we hold them.

I am dismounting the guns and getting

board the ammunition.

say

on

Since making the above examination new forts have been passed nearly finished. They had no guns, but were complete of the kind as regards position, and had heavy field-pieces in them.

DAVID D. PORTER,

Acting Rear Admiral, Commanding Mississippi Squadron.

Meanwhile a force of the Fifth New-York, led

by Major Hammond, had come up, and they gal-
lantly charged the rebels with the sabre, com-
pletely routing them and recapturing all our
men. Major Hammond continued in pursuit be-
yond Warrenton. The rebels fought desperately,
but only succeeded in killing one of the First
Virginia and wounding sixteen, five of whom
their dead being left upon the field and scattered
were officers. The rebel loss was very heavy,
by the roadside. Twenty-three prisoners were
taken, fifteen of whom were wounded. Among
the prisoners is the notorious bushwhacker, Dick
Moran. Moran has been Moseby's right bower
for a long time. He says he told Moseby not to
make this attack, that our force was too large,
and that they would be whipped. He thinks
Moseby threw the command into a fight which
he had no business to undertake, and so sacri-
Moran is badly wounded.
ficed his men.

Templeton, a rebel spy, who has been in Washington within a week, and who was supplied with all kinds of papers, was killed. The prisoners belong to Stuart's Black Horse cavalry, Hamp ton's legion, Richardson's battalion, and Moseby's battalion. One of them, formerly a Major in the Quartermaster's Department of the C.S.A., resigned his position for the purpose of joining Moseby. His name is S. P. Lushane, and he hails from Washington, Pa. The man who shot one of our men who was made prisoner is also wounded and with the prisoners. Our officers and men behaved with great gallantry. Mention is to be made of Major Hammond, Captains Krom, Penfield, and McMasters, of the Fifth New-York, Captain Harris, of the First Virginia, and Captain Bean, of the First Vermont. Moseby begins to understand by this time that guer rilla fighting has its reverses as well as successes. He has now lost within a week, by capture and death, over one hundred and fifty men, and Gen

eral Stahel does not intend he shall have much burned the old bridge early last fall. That night, peace until all are captured or dispersed.

Cobb had taken the precaution to leave, and is safe at Little Rock. Let him beware, should ever the Fifth Kansas get him; a short shrift and a long rope will be his reward.

The next morning, about two P.M., a despatch came, ordering the Colonel (as we understood) to proceed to Hugh's Ferry, via Mount Vernon, and ascertain the whereabouts of Dobbins's regiment of guerrillas, as well as the practicability of crossing the whole command at that place, and report to Colonel Clayton by message that afternoon. At six A.M. of the eleventh we started, and after going over the hills of Crowley's ridge, about fifteen miles, we came down into the l'Anguille bottom. We followed the base of the ridge down to McDaniel's Mills, seven miles from the ferry, taking its owner prisoner. We burned the mill, which had been grinding for the rebels all winter, and in this bottom alone we destroyed by fire about fifty thousand or sixty thousand bushels of corn.

tre was now strengthened, the flanks and rear well guarded; and though the rebels kept up an almost continuous volley, it seemed to be felt by both officers and men that their real force was yet to come.

The rebels were about eighty yards from us, in line across the road, when they poured in a heavy volley, and parted to the right and left, making way for those from behind.

And now a sight met our eyes well calculated to make the sternest heart quail. A regiment or column of cavalry was seen coming down upon us at full speed-the officers waving their sabres, encouraging their men. When within sixty yards, the whole column broke out into a mad yell, such as might have come from ten thousand Camanche Indians.

Then it was that our Lieutenant-Colonel showed of what stuff he was made. Sitting calmly and bravely on his horse, right amidst his men, he encouraged them both by orders and example. "Reserve your fire, men, until they are close on you, and then let every shot tell." And how they obeyed, the sequel but too well showed. When within thirty or forty yards, they were met by such a storm of balls as made many a gallant rider bite the dust; and though the weight and impetus of the column carried them almost to us, the fire was so severe and concentrated they broke right and left and retreated, leaving several dead and wounded behind. In the course of fifteen minutes, or perhaps thirty, during which time they kept up a constant firing, the same thing was repeated again.

A negro here came into camp, stating that General Marmaduke had six thousand men up at Wittsburgh, and that there was a plan laid to cut us off, as follows: Dobbins was to be at the ferry with five hundred men, while a column was to attack us from above. A consultation was held, and then the Fifth Illinois started for the Widow Hinton's, four miles above, at the foot of the ridge, to feed; and as soon as our regiment had fed, the bugle sounded to horse, and we started for Taylor's Creek, where Colonel Clayton was to meet us, or remain to hear from us. Passing the Fifth Illinois about four P.M., we proceeded to a point about five miles be- This time a large and fine-looking officer was yond; and when nearing Mount Vernon, the at their very head, while a little on one side rode quick, sharp report of the rifles of the advanced a richly dressed field-officer, whom our men reguard notified us of the proximity of the enemy; cognized immediately as Colonel Carter, he hav a loud and more sonorous volley informed using been in our camp three days last fall when that they had replied with their double-barrelled here with a flag of truce. shot-guns.

Colonel Jenkins immediately rode to the front, and the regiment came up at a sharp gallop. They found the enemy drawn up in a line across the ridge, about one hundred yards in advance. The Colonel now ordered the regiment to dismount, keeping about eight or ten men to hold every forty horses; and company A was deployed to the right, and another company to the left, and ordered to move forward as skirmishers, other companies covering the centre.

On they came, with that same wild yell, more desperate from their first repulse; and now their confederate flag was seen waving close to the front. When they are close up, "Give it to them, boys, and fire low!" was the Colonel's orders, as he sat watching the coming shock, while the lead was whistling all around him; and well they obeyed the order. The Captain leading the column fell, shot through and through, within striking distance of our men. Colonel Carter here went down, whilst the color-sergeant tumbled And now commenced an engagement, lasting headlong from his saddle close to us. And here about three quarters of an hour, our men driving a piece of bravery and gallantry was performed. the rebels before them with loud cheers; break-worthy of the far-famed ranger. After a more ing their line three different times, and punish- terrible punishment than before, they broke in the ing them severely. same way, and just as the last of the column wheeled off to the right, a ranger noticed his colors, and swinging himself clear over to one side, gathered them up and rode off.

At length they appeared in such force that it was deemed advisable to choose a favorable position and make a stand. We were on a wide oak ridge, and had forced the enemy back about one third of a mile.

And now a piteous scene presented itself-the ground was strewn with dead and wounded rebA large oak tree had been thrown nearly els, the wounding asking beseechingly for wa across the road by a storm, and the road had to ter. "For God's sake, water!" and though the bend a little to get around it; having no branch-fight was not over, our men procured a little in a es, it afforded an excellent cover for about forty ravine near by, and gave it to them.

men.

Here we were ordered to halt. The cen- The Captain proved to be Captain McKee, com