eted that wonderful and painful circuit of the enemy--so brilliant
in conception, so successful in result. Late in the afternoon he
reached their extreme right and rear, secure and unsuspecting. Never
stopping to rest, the Eldest Son of War hurled himself like a
thunderbolt on the confident and intrenched enemy--scattering the
eleventh corps (Sigel's) like chaff, and hurling them, broken and
demoralized, upon their supports. The very key of the enemy's campaign
was driven out; and the "one hour more of daylight!" the hero-general
prayed for--or the merciful sparing of his priceless life by the God of
Battles--would have shown complete defeat, even annihilation, of
Hooker's right.

But it was not so written in the Book of Life! A wise dispensation,
whose object we may see, removed the best and greatest soldier of the
war--sorely stricken by the hands of his own devoted men, in the
darkness; the routed enemy was given, by this unequaled misfortune, and
by fast falling night, opportunity for partial reorganization.

Hooker's right was turned and doubled upon his center; but he was still
strong in numbers, and had the advantage of position and heavy works,
abatis and rifle-pits.

Next morning General Lee assaulted in force, all along the line; and
after heavy and bloody fighting, drove him from his position at all
points. Sedgwick, however, had crossed the river at Fredericksburg,
driving the Confederates from the town and carrying Mayre's Hill by
assault. This acted as a check to Lee, who was forced to detach
McLaws' division to drive Sedgwick back from his own rear. This he
successfully accomplished, and--Anderson reaching McLaws just in
time--on the 4th of May, the last of the series of the battles of the
Rappahannock resulted in complete defeat of Sedgwick.

Still, Hooker was permitted to withdraw his army across the river; but
the campaign of the week had been successful in utterly breaking his
plans and clearly defeating him in every engagement.

CHAPTER XXIX.

OVER AGAIN, TO GETTYSBURG.

The campaign of the Rappahannock had shown brilliant flashes of
strategy and valor. It had proved that a badly-provided army of less
than 50,000 Confederates--barefooted, blanketless and half-fed, but
properly led--could, even when surrounded and out-flanked, defeat and
set at naught 120,000 of the best-appointed troops ever sent against
them. It revived, in some degree, the drooping spirits of the people;
but a sorr