moment it was ascertained that Sickles
was being withdrawn from Hazel Grove. By some error, Stuart's order was
interpreted as a command for the anticipated general attack, and the
advancing columns soon provoked the fire of the expectant Federals.

Seeing that the men were ready for their work, rations or no rations,
Stuart wisely refrained from recalling them; and Berry and Williams
betimes felt the shock of the strong line of A. P. Hill, which Alexander
seconded by opening with his artillery in full action. The Confederates
forged ahead with the watchword, "Charge, and remember Jackson!" And
this appeal was one to nerve all hearts to the desperate task before
them.

Hotchkiss thus describes the field of operations of this morning: "The
first line of works occupied by the Federal troops had been thrown up in
the night, and was very formidable. The engineer division of the
Union Army consisted of near four thousand men, and these had been
unremittingly engaged in its construction. A vast number of trees had
been felled, and formed into a heavy rampart, all approach to which was
rendered extremely difficult by an abattis of limbs and brushwood. On
the south side of the road this line is situated upon a ridge, on the
Chancellorsville side of Lewis Creek, one of the numerous head-waters of
the Mattapony. It is intersected by the smaller branches of this creek,
and the ravines in which they run. These ravines extended behind
the Federal lines, almost to the plank road, and afforded excellent
positions for successive stands. In the morning, Sickles extended to the
west of the creek, and held the elevated plateau at Hazel Grove. This
is the most commanding point, except Fairview, in the vicinity. On the
north of the plank road, the ground is more level. The line thus crossed
several small branches, the origin of some small tributaries of the
Rappahannock, but the ravines on that side are not considerable. From
the ridge occupied by the first line, the ground falls away to the
east, until the valley of another branch of Lewis Creek is reached.
The depression here is considerable, and gives an abrupt slope to the
Fairview hill, which rises directly from it on the eastern side. From
the first line of the creek, extends on both sides of the road a
dense forest. From the latter point to Fairview heights, and to
Chancellorsville, on the south side of the road, the country is cleared.
This clearing is bounded on the south by a dra