ight of the enemy, and at the end to attack a tremendous
position held by immensely superior forces. Stuart with his cavalry
moved on the flank of the column whenever the ground was open, so as to
conceal the march of the infantry from the enemy. As the rear of the
column passed a spot called the Furnace, the enemy suddenly advanced and
cut off the 23d Georgia, who were in the rear of the column, and
captured the whole regiment with the exception of a score of men. At
this point the road turned almost directly away from Chancellorsville,
and the enemy believed that the column was in full retreat, and had not
the least idea of its real object.

So hour after hour the troops pressed on until they reached the turnpike
road passing east and went through Chancellorsville, which now lay
exactly between them and the point that they had left in the morning.
Jackson's design was to advance upon this line of road, to extend his
troops to the left and then to swing round, cut the enemy's retreat to
the fords, and capture them all. Hooker had already been joined by two
of Sedgwick's army corps, and had now six army corps at
Chancellorsville, while Jackson's force consisted of 22,000 men. Lee
remained with 13,000 at Tabernacle. The latter general had not been
attacked, but had continued to make demonstrations against the Federal
left, occupying their attention and preventing them from discovering how
large a portion of his force had left him.

It was at five o'clock in the evening that Jackson's troops, having
gained their position, advanced to the attack. In front of them lay
Howard's division of the Federals, intrenched in strong earthworks
covered by felled trees; but the enemy were altogether unsuspicious of
danger, and it was not until with tumultuous cheers the Confederates
dashed through the trees and attacked the intrenchment that they had any
suspicion of their presence. They ran to their arms, but it was too
late. The Confederates rushed through the obstacles, climbed the
earthworks, and carried those in front of them, capturing 700 prisoners
and five guns. The rest of the Federal troops here, throwing away
muskets and guns, fled in wild confusion. Steadily the Confederates
pressed on, driving the enemy before them, and capturing position after
position, until the whole right wing of the Federal army was routed and
disorganized. For three hours the Confederates continued their march
without a check; but owing to the dense