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wild onions, garlic, lamb's quarter and poke sprouts, but the supply obtained is very small.

"The men are cheerful and I receive but few complaints.

"R. E. LEE, General."

Endorsed: "Referred to Commissary General for consideration and re

port.

"J. A. SEDDON,
"Secretary of War."

"Respectfully referred to the Secretary of War.

"The appearance of the men in General Lee's army and their health confirms the opinion of Dr. Cartwright as to diminishing the ration, and it is recommended that the bacon and pork ration be accordingly reduced to onefourth of a pound throughout the army.

"L. B. NORTHROP, "Commissary General of Subsis

tence."

On the morning of April 29, 1863, we (the Confederates) were aroused from our repose by a sudden and brisk fire of musketry and artillery, occurring in the rear of Bernard's Farm.

A dense fog hung over the Rappahannock and the fields, obscuring the view, but we soon learned from our pickets that a body of the enemy had made a sudden dash across the river in pontoon boats and effected a lodgment near the mouth of Deep Run, on Bernard's Farm, about two miles below Fredericksburg. Two pontoon bridges were soon thrown, and a large force under General John Sedgwick crossed, menacing the right of our

army.

During the day (29th) General Lee received intelligence from General Stuart that a large body of Union infantry and artillery was marching up the north side of the Rappahannock River. "Later in the day it was learned that General Hooker, with the main body of his army, had passed

the river and lodged in the woods near Chancellorsville."

It was now (30th) apparent to General Lee, "considering the inactivity of the enemy confronting us at Fredericksburg, that the main attack would be made against our left flank and rear." He "therefore determined to leave sufficient troops to hold our lines near Fredericksburg and with the main body of the army to give battle to the approaching columns under General Hooker."

Leaving General Early's division (four brigades) of Jackson's corps, and General Barksdale's brigade (of McLaws's division) and a number of batteries under General Pendleton to observe General Sedgwick, at midnight of the 30th General McLaws marched with the rest of his command toward Chancellorsville, and was followed at dawn next morning (May 1)' by General Jackson's corps, with the exception of General Early's division.

General Early had a long line to

protect, extending from the foot of Taylor's Hill, opposite Falmouth, to Hamilton's Crossing, more than six miles. He posted four brigades of his division (Hays, Smith, Hoke, Gordon) along the ridge from Howison's house to Hamilton's Crossing, and covered his front from Dr. Taylor's to Howison's-embracing Fredericksburgwith Barksdale's brigade of four regiments, acting as pickets.

Eight guns were placed in earthworks on the crest of the heights in rear of Fredericksburg, to command the roads leading out of the town and the intervening ground. Lieutenant J. Thompson Brown, of Parker's Virginia battery, with his section and two ten-pounder Parrotts, occupied the pits on the shoulder of Willis Hill; next on his left, immediately in front of the old Willis burying-ground, was Captain Squires, of the Washington Artillery, with two three-inch rifles. Two guns of the Washington Artillery, under Lieutenant Hero, to the

left of the Marye house (between the Telegraph road and Plank road), and two of the Washington Artillery, under Lieutenant Apps, to the left and near the Plank road. On Lee's Hill, six hundred yards in rear of Willis Hill, was Fraser's Georgia battery, four guns, and on the ridge back of Howison's, Patterson (Georgia), with three guns, "in all, on both fronts, fifteen guns, while twenty-two, including the heaviest, were marching to the rear, and eleven others were waiting orders to march in the same direction." (General Pendleton's report.) Carlton's Georgia battery, after being withdrawn from its position night of May 2, was recalled to occupy the original post in rear of Howison's, and actively participated in the battle of May 3.

At this time Wilcox's brigade, five regiments, and two batteries of artillery (Lewis's Virginia, Lieutenant Penick; and Huger's Virginia, Captain Moore), lay along the River road,

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