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XVIII.

THE

HOOKER'S PARRY.

HE position of the Army of the Potomac is critical in the extreme. But several circumstances come to the rescue. It is almost dark. The rebel lines have become inextricably mixed. Colston, who has gradually moved up to Rodes's support, is so completely huddled together with this latter's command, that there is no organization left. Still Jackson's veterans press on, determined to crush our army beyond recovery, and drive it from United-States Ford. Stuart has in fact, at his own suggestion, got orders to move his cavalry division in that direction, and occupy the road to Ely's. A. P. Hill's division is still intact in rear of the two leading lines, now shuffled into one quite unmanageable mass, but still instinctively pushing forward.

So faulty have Hooker's dispositions been, in advancing his entire right centre without filling the gap, that the only available troops to throw into the breach, after the rapid destruction of the Eleventh Corps, are Berry's division of the old Third. These hardened soldiers are still in reserve on the clearing, north of headquarters. It is fortunate, indeed, that they are still there; for Sickles has

just asked for their detail to join his own column out in the woods, and an hour ago Berry would certainly have been sent.

This division is at once thrown across the pike on the first crest below Fairview, west of Chancellorsville. The artillery of the Eleventh Corps is in part re-assembled. Capt. Best, chief of artillery of the Twelfth Corps, has already trained his guns upon the advancing Confederate columns, to protect the new line. But Berry is almost alone. Hays's brigade of the Second Corps, on his right, is his only support. The Excelsior brigade is rapidly pushed into the woods, north of the plank road; the Fourth Excelsior and the First Massachusetts south. Carr's brigade is kept in second line, one hundred and fifty yards in the rear. The men, with the instinctive pride of self-reliance, move up with the steadiness of veterans on drill, regardless of the stream of fugitives breaking through their intervals.

The flight of the Eleventh Corps has stampeded part of the Third Corps artillery. But it is re-assembled in short order, and at once thrown into service. Capt. Best manages by seven P.M. to get thirty-four guns into line on the crest, well served. Himself is omnipresent. Dimick's and Winslow's batteries under Osborn, Berry's chief of artillery, join this line on the hill, leaving a section of Dimick on the road. And such part of the disjecta membra of the Eleventh Corps as retains semblance of organization is gathered in support of the guns. Capt. Best has begun to fire solid shot over the heads of Berry's men into the woods beyond; and, as Gen. Lee says, the Con

federate advance is checked in front of this crest by the vigorous opposition encountered.

Hurried orders are despatched to Geary to withdraw his attack, and re-occupy his breastworks. This he straightway accomplishes. Similar orders are carried to Williams. But, before the latter can retrace his steps, Jackson's columns have reached the right of his late position. Anderson also advances against him; so that Williams is obliged to move cautiously by his left, and change front when he arrives where his line had lately joined Geary's; and, being unable to take up his old post, he goes into position, and prolongs Berry, south of the pike. It is long after dark before he ascertains his bearings, and succeeds in massing his division where it is needed.

Anxious as Jackson is to press on, "Give me one hour more of daylight, and I will have United-States Ford!" cries he, he finds that he must re-establish order in his scattered forces before he can launch this night attack upon our newly formed but stubbornly maintained lines.

Nor is the darkness the most potent influence toward this end. Illy as Sickles's advance has resulted thus far, it is now a sovereign element in the salvation of the Army of the Potomac. His force at the Furnace, Birney, Whipple, Barlow, and Pleasonton, amounts to fifteen thousand men, and over twenty guns. None of these officers are the men to stand about idle. No sooner has Sickles been persuaded by a second courier, the first he would not credit, — that the Eleventh Corps has been destroyed, and that Jackson is in his rear, than he comprehends that

now, indeed, the time has come to batter Jackson's flank. He orders his column to the right about, and moves up with all speed to the clearing, where Pleasonton has held his cavalry, near Birney's old front.

Pleasonton's keen eye has grasped the situation. He understands that immediate action is imperative. The stream of fugitives of the Eleventh Corps, pouring down the road from Dowdall's upon the open occupied by him, tells its own story. He must gain time to get his artillery into line. He has two regiments of cavalry, barely a thousand men. He orders Major Keenan, commanding the Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry, to charge upon the flank of Jackson's columns, into the woods, and, for his life, not to yield an inch. Keenan is a man cut out for such work. He charges home. His command is annihilated. Himself is killed. But a precious ten minutes is gained by his gallant fight.

From the general mélée of guns, caissons, ambulances, teams, Pleasonton, with the rapidity of desperate purpose, collects his guns. He unlimbers his horse-battery, and pours double-shotted charges of canister into the parapets recently held by the Eleventh Corps. Under the cover of this fire, he assembles twenty-two guns, (Clark's, Lewis's, and Turnbull's batteries, among them,) doubleshots them, and trains them on the woods in front, "which seemed alive with large bodies of men." He reserves his fire, wishing to produce the effect of a heavy shock, when deliberately appears a column bearing the United-States flag. It is a Confederate brigade adopting this ruse to capture the dangerous array of guns threaten

ing their flank. In the glimmering twilight, the gray and butternut cannot be distinguished. Pleasonton sends forward an aide, who draws their fire, and discovers the artifice; and as they display their proper colors, and charge forward with the well-known yell, he opens upon them, and sweeps them from before him. They have no stomach for a further charge; but, retiring to the edge of the woods, they open upon him a telling fire, under which he has pains to keep his men at work. This lasts till some time after dark.

"Such," says Gen. Pleasonton, "was the fight at Scott's Run. Artillery against infantry at three hundred yards; the infantry in the woods, the artillery in the clearing. War presents many anomalies, but few so curious and strange in its results as this."

Meanwhile Birney, sending word to Barlow that they run danger of being cut off, and detailing the Twentieth Indiana and Sixty-Third Pennsylvania Volunteers as rear guard, rejoins Sickles and Pleasonton in the clearing, and both move up to sustain his flank.

And between Berry's gallant veterans, and Pleasonton's masterly attack, Jackson's advance is arrested, and he finds difficulty in maintaining his ground.

So soon as Jackson's guns gave Lee the intimation of his assault, the latter advanced upon the Union line with sufficient vigor to prevent Hooker from sending reenforcements to his right. The attack was sharp; and a general inclination to the left was ordered, to connect with Jackson's right as the latter brought his columns nearer. "These orders were well executed, our troops

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