Reports of Maj. Gen. Winfield S. Hancock, U.S. Army, commanding First Division.
Toward evening, after the enemy had driven in the Eleventh Corps, the shot from the enemy's artillery fell over my lines from both rear and front. During the sharp contest of that day, the enemy was never able to reach my principal line of battle, so stoutly and successfully did Colonel Miles contest the ground. The action in the rear continued until after midnight, the Twelfth Corps, on my immediate right, having been heavily engaged during the day.
On the morning of the 3d instant, the battle was renewed at 5.30 a.m. Previous to this time, expecting to meet the enemy on my main line of battle, I had not held a very heavy force on my first line, but now, knowing the danger and confusion that would arise from the musket-balls of the enemy crossing our line of communication at Chancellorsville from that direction, I strengthened the advanced position, believing, from the experience of the previous day and the well-known ability and gallantry of Colonel Miles, that it could be held.
That line was frequently assaulted during the morning with great gallantry, the enemy marching their regiments up into the abatis. The Sixty-fourth New York Volunteers behaved with great distinction, repulsing regiment after regiment. The same may be said of the Sixty-first and Sixty-sixth New York Volunteers, the detachments from the Fifty-third Pennsylvania, Second Delaware, One hundred and fortieth, One hundred and forty-fifth, and One hundred and forty-eighth Pennsylvania, and the Twenty-seventh Connecticut Volunteers.
Later in the morning I was directed by Major-General Couch to face to the rear with the men on the second line, excepting Colonel Cross' command, and march to the road running between Chancellor's house and the United States Ford, and to be ready to advance against the enemy, who were then threatening that line of communication from my rear.
Having arrived at that point, General Hooker directed me to leave one brigade there, subject to his orders (I left Brigadier-General Caldwell's command, consisting of the Sixty-first, Fifty-second, and Fifty-seventh New York Volunteers, and four companies of the One hundred and forty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, numbering between 500 and 600 men), and to return to my first line of battle, commanding the old turnpike road, with the remainder of my troops. I obeyed the order, closing the regiments to the right to connect again with Colonel Cross, on the turnpike leading toward Fredericksburg. The enemy threatening General Geary's right, I was directed to face Colonel Cross' command about, establishing a line of battle to protect that point. Shortly afterward Colonel Cross was ordered back, by General Couch, to occupy his original line.
General Sickles' command had now retired from the position west of Chancellorsville, and, seeing the enemy advancing in line of battle in the open plain toward the Chancellor house, I immediately faced my line about, and took position on the Plank road, in line with Colonel Cross' command, his right resting on the turnpike and the other portion of his command on the same prolongation on his right, supporting Pettit's battery, a half battery of Thomas', on its left, in Colonel Cross' front, and Leppien's battery, on the right of Chancellor's house.
The enemy, who had threatened to advance, was soon dispersed by the fire of the artillery. He, however, immediately planted several batteries in the open plain, about 900 yards to my front, and, with the batteries on the Fredericksburg road, immediately in my rear, and those near the Plank road to my left, opened a tremendous fire upon my line.
An infantry assault was made at the same time on General Geary's command, of the Twelfth Corps, on my left; success alternating from one side to the other, my artillery assisting our forces, until finally that command was forced to quit its ground and retire from the field. Its resistance was stern, but unsuccessful.
I was now fighting in opposite directions, one line faced toward Fredericksburg, the other toward Gordonsville, these two lines being about half a mile apart. Projectiles from the enemy's artillery, from the front and rear, passed over both lines, while other pieces, in different positions, enfiladed both. Notwithstanding that my flank, which had been covered by General Geary, was entirely exposed, our fourteen pieces of artillery prevented him from advancing, although his battle-flags were within a few hundred yards of us.
The troops, however, suffered very heavy losses from the enemy's artillery. The Chancellor house, which was being used as a hospital, was fired by shells. With a detail from the Second Delaware, of Brooke's command, under direction of Lieut. W. P. Wilson, of my staff, the wounded were removed from within and around the building.
Leppien's battery, of five guns, then under command of First Lieut. Edmund Kirby, First Artillery, on the right of the Chancellor house, having lost all its officers, cannoneers, and horses for the guns, I made a detail of men, who removed the pieces by hand to a place of safety. The information announcing the condition of the battery was brought to me by Corp. J. H. Lebroke, of that battery, from Lieutenant Kirby (then wounded), who requested that the battery might be removed. The detail made for the purpose, who faithfully performed their duty, was from the Fifty-third, One hundred and fortieth, and One hundred and sixteenth Pennsylvania (Battalion) Volunteers.
I next received an order that, after General Sickles' troops had retired, I would also be ordered to follow him to a new position.
Subsequently, at 10 a.m., I received the order to withdraw my forces. I first sent orders to the batteries to retire. After that had been accomplished, I marched my command in good order and without molestatation, save by artillery, to a point about half a mile to the rear, toward the United States Ford, where a new line was established, my division occupying the left salient, toward Chancellor's house. This movement was completed about 11 a.m.
At the same time that I received orders to withdraw from Chancellor's house, I sent directions to my line toward Fredericksburg to retire in a direction which would enable them to join me. A portion of this command, deflecting too far to their left, was intercepted by a column of the enemy and captured.
Rifle-pits were immediately thrown up on our new front, abatis felled, and the position made as strong as practicable. I have no doubt that we could have successfully resisted any assault. During our stay here we suffered some from artillery, and also lost a few men by the enemy's sharpshooters.
In retiring from our line at Chancellor's house, I found that Brigadier-General Meagher's command had been posted in the woods on the right of Leppien's battery, supporting it. That command I also withdrew.
I found that Brigadier-General Caldwell's command, which had been posted on the right of General Meagher's position, had proceeded through the woods, driving the enemy out, and had been subsequently withdrawn. It joined me immediately, and, with General Meagher's command, occupied the front line of battle in our new position. I am not able to speak of the service of Caldwell's command more particularly nor of General Meagher's while they were engaged with the enemy, as they were detached, and under the immediate orders of General Hooker.
The reports of these commanders will be found inclosed, as well as those of Brig. Gen. S. K. Zook, commanding Third Brigade; Col. J. R. Brooke, commanding Fourth Brigade; Col. N. A. Miles, commanding the advanced line of skirmishers; Col. E. E. Cross, Fifth New Hampshire Volunteers, commanding the right of my line; Capt. R. D. Pettit, Battery B, First New York Artillery, commanding artillery, and the reports of subordinate commanders.
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