were resonant with the words of
the Gospel of Peace. But "Woe be unto those by whom offences come."
"They have taken the sword, and must perish by the sword."

So completely were the Rebels masters of the only available fighting
ground that no further effort was made to advance our lines, and the
army stood strictly upon the defensive. The open space, in which stood
the Chancellorsville mansion, at this time a mass of smoking ruins, was
in their possession. At arms behind the breastworks we awaited the
onset; but although there was occasional firing, no general attack was
made during the remainder of the day. With the thanks of our Corps
Commander publicly given for services during the fight, our Brigade
rested at night, speculating upon which side the heavy firing told then
heard in the vicinity of Fredericksburg.

During the next day we were stationed as a Reserve upon the right, and
called to arms frequently during the day and night, when the Rebels
with their unearthly yells would tempt our artillery by charging upon
the works. On the day after we were moved to support the centre, and
kept continually at arms. In the afternoon a violent thunderstorm
raged--the dread artillery of Heaven teaching us humility by its
striking contrast to the counterfeit thunder of our cannon. Rain
generally follows heavy cannonading. All that afternoon and the greater
part of the night it fell in torrents. Cannonading in the direction of
Fredericksburg had ceased during the day. Sedgwick's disastrous movement
was not generally known,--but our wounded had all been sent off;--our
few wagon trains and our pack-horses had crossed,--and notwithstanding
the show of fight kept up in front, enough was seen to indicate that the
army was about to recross the Rappahannock.

Favored by the darkness, battery after battery was quietly withdrawn,
their respective Army Corps accompanying in Regiments of two abreast.

The movement was in painful contrast to the spirited order that gave
such a merry May-day to our hope upon the first of the month. In blouses
that smoked that wet night around camp fires kept up for the purpose of
misleading the enemy, our men stood discussing the orders, and the
counter-orders, and what had happened, and what might happen, from the
step. Hooker had credit for the successful execution of his part of the
programme. What was wrong below was conjecture then, and does not yet
appear to be certainly understood.

*