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kept from the troops； but a whisper gradually spread； and the grief
of his soldiers was unbounded； for rather would they have suffered
a disastrous defeat than that Stonewall Jackson should have fallen。
General Stuart assumed the command； General Hill； who was
second in command； having； with many other officers； been
wounded by the tremendous storm of grape and canister that the
Federals poured through the wood when they anticipated an
attack。 At daybreak the troops again moved forward in three lines；
Stuart placing his thirty guns on a slight ridge； where they could
sweep the lines of the Federal defenses。 Three times the position
was won and lost； but the Confederates fought with such fury and
resolution； shouting each time they charged the Federal ranks
〃Remember Jackson；〃 that the enemy gradually gave way； and by
ten o'clock Chancelloraville itself was taken； the Federals being
driven back into the forest between the houses and the river。
Lee had early in the morning begun to advance from his side to the
attack； but just as he was moving forward the news came that
Sedgwick had recrossed at Fredericksburg； captured a portion of
the Confederate force there； and was advancing to join Hooker。
He at once sent two of his three little divisions to join the
Confederates who were opposing Sedgwick's advance； while with
the three or four thousand men remaining to him； he all day made
feigned attacks upon the enemy's position； occupying their
attention there； and preventing them from sending reinforcements
to the troops engaged with Stuart。 At night he himself hurried
away； took the command of the troops opposed to Sedgwick；
attacked him vigorously at daybreak； and drove him with heavy
loss back across the river。 The next day he marched back with his
force to join in the final attack upon the Federals； but when the
troops of Stuart and Lee moved forward they encountered no
opposition。 Hooker had begun to carry his troops across the river
on the night he was hurled back out of Chancellorsville； and the
rest of his troops had crossed on the two following nights。
General Hooker issued a pompous order to his troop。 after getting
across the river； to the effect that the movement had met with the
complete success he had anticipated from it； but the truth soon
leaked out。 General Sedgwick's force had lost 6；000 men；
Hooker's own command fully 20；000 more； but splendid as the
success was； it was dearly purchased by the Confederates at the
price of the life of Stonewall Jackson。 His arm was amputated the
day after the battle； he lived for a week； and died not so much
from the effect of his wounds as from the pneumonia； the result of
his exposure to the heavy dew on the night preceding his march
through the Wilderness。
During the two days' fighting Vincent Wingfield had discharged
his duties upon General Stuart's staff。 On the first day the work
had been slight； for General Stuart； with the cannon； remained in
the rear； while Jackson's infantry attacked and carried the Federal
retrenchments。 Upon the second day； however； when Stuart
assumed the command； Vincent's duties had been onerous and
dangerous in the extreme。 He was constantly carrying orders from
one part of the field to the other； amid such a shower of shot and
shell that it seemed marvelous that any one could exist within it。
To his great grief Wildfire was killed under him； but he himself
escaped without a scratch。 When he came afterward to try to
describe the battle to those at home he could give no account of it。
〃To me；〃 he said； 〃it was simply a chaos of noise and confusion。
Of what was going on I knew nothing。 The din was appalling。
The roar of the shells； the hum of grape and canister； the whistle of
bullets； the shouts of the men； formed a mighty roar that seemed
to render thinking impossible。 Showers of leaves fell incessantly；
great boughs of trees were shorn away； and trees themselves
sometimes came crashing down as a trunk was struck full by a
shell。 The undergrowth had caught fire； and the thick smoke；
mingled with that of the battle； rendered it difficult to see or to
breathe。 I had but one thought； that of making my way through the
trees； of finding the corps to which I was sent； of delivering my
message； and finding the general again。 No； I don't think I had
much thought of danger； the whole thing was somehow so
tremendous that one had no thought whatever for one's self。 It was
a sort of terrible dream； in which one was possessed of the single
idea to get to a certain place。 It was not till at last we swept across
the open ground down to the house； that I seemed to take any
distinct notice of what was going on around me。 Then； for the first
time； the exulting shouts of the men； and the long lines advancing
at the double； woke me up to the fact that we had gained one of the
most wonderful victories in history； and had driven an army of
four or five times our own strength from a position that they
believed they had made impregnable。〃
The defeat of Hooker for a time put a stop to any further advance
against Richmond from the North。 The Federal troops； whose
term of service was up； returned home； and it was months before
all the efforts of the authorities of Washington could place the
army in a condition to make a renewed advance。 But the
Confederates had also suffered heavily。 A third of the force with
which Jackson had attacked had fallen； and their loss could not be
replaced； as the Confederates were forced to send every one they
could raise to the assistance of the armies in the West； where
Generals Banks and Grant were carrying on operations with great
success against them。 The important town of Vicksburg； which
commanded the navigation of the Mississippi； was besieged； and
after a resistance lasting for some months； surrendered； with its
garrison of 25；000 men； on the 3d of July； and the Federal
gunboats
were thus able to penetrate by the Mississippi and its confluents
into the heart of the Confederacy。
Shortly after the battle of Chancellorsville； Vincent was appointed
to the command of a squadron of cavalry that was detached from
Stuart's force and sent down to Richmond to guard the capital from
any raids by bodies of Federal cavalry。 It had been two or three
times menaced by flying bodies of horsemen； and during the
cavalry advance before the battle of Chancellorsville small parties
had penetrated to within three miles of the city； cutting all the
telegraph wires； pulling up rails； and causing the greatest terror。
Vincent was not sorry for the change。 It took him away from the
great theater of the war； but after Chancellorsville he felt no eager
desire to take part in future battles。 His duties would keep him
near his home； and would give ample scope for the display of
watchfulness； dash； and energy。 Consequently he took no part in
the campaign that commenced in the first week in June。