oblivious
of his maxim enjoined upon Stoneman, "that celerity, audacity, and
resolution are every thing in war."

Early and Barksdale were left, as before, to hold the Confederate lines
at and near Fredericksburg, while McLaws and Anderson were at once
ordered back to the old battle-field. "They reached their destination
during the afternoon (Tuesday, 5th) in the midst of a violent storm,
which continued throughout the night, and most of the following day."
(Lee.)

Wilcox and Wright lay that night in bivouac on the Catherine road;
Mahone, Posey, and Perry, along the plank road.

Kershaw was sent to relieve Heth at the crossing of the River and Mine
roads, and the latter rejoined his division.

The night of Tuesday Lee spent in preparations to assault Hooker's
position at daylight on Wednesday. The Confederate scouts had been by no
means idle; and the position occupied by Hooker, in most of its details,
was familiar to the Southern commander. He was thus able to develop his
plans with greater ease than a less familiarity with the terrain would
have yielded. He was satisfied that one more vigorous blow would disable
his antagonist for this campaign, and he was unwilling to delay in
striking it.

XXXII. HOOKER'S CRITICISMS.

Let us now examine into Hooker's various criticisms upon Sedgwick's
conduct.

Hooker, in his testimony before the Committee on the Conduct of the
War, baldly accuses Sedgwick of neglecting to keep him advised of
his movements, the inference being that he was debarred thereby from
intelligently using him; and states that when he sent Sedgwick the
despatch to join him at Chancellorsville, "it was written under the
impression that his corps was on the north side of the Rappahannock."
But could Hooker rationally assume this to be the case when he had, five
hours before, ordered Sedgwick to cross and pursue a flying enemy,
and well knew that he had a portion of his forces already guarding the
bridge-heads on the Fredericksburg side?

"The night was so bright that... no special difficulty was apprehended
in executing the order." In the vicinity of Fredericksburg, shortly
after midnight, a fog appears to have arisen from the river, which
considerably impeded the movements of the Sixth Corps. This Hooker knew
from Sedgwick's report, which he was bound to believe, unless
evidence existed to show the contrary. "As will be seen, the order was
peremptory, and would have justified him in losing e