Major Jedediah Hotchkiss had served on Jackson’s staff since March 1862 and become the leading mapmaker in the Army of Northern Virginia. At Jackson’s direction, Hotchkiss spent April 30 making maps of the Wilderness and scouting marching routes west of Fredericksburg. The following day he rode to the battlefield near Chancellorsville and distributed his maps to the Confederate division commanders.
Saturday, May 2nd. The Generals were up at an early hour and had a consultation, in the pines on the top of the hill where the Catherine Furnace road turns from the Plank Road, sitting on Yankee Cracker boxes which the enemy had left there. I went down to Mr. Welford’s, where General Stuart had his quarters, and ascertained the roads that led around to the enemy’s rear and came back and reported to Generals Lee and Jackson, who consulted and examined the map and then started the Second Corps down by the furnace, Rodes’ division in front, and went on to the Brock road, and then up it a piece and into a private road, and so on to the Plank Road and across both Plank Roads to the Old Turnpike and formed our line of battle at the house and with three lines of battle fell on the enemy’s rear at Talley’s, at precisely 6 o’clock, and after an infantry fight on our side, of 32 minutes, the enemy using infantry and artillery, we routed them and drove them completely from the field and some three miles beyond, driving them out of two lines of entrenchments and on to some breastworks when it had become dark and by accident our men fired into each other and by that fire General Jackson was wounded, having three balls through his left arm and one through his right hand, having held up both hands to urge our men to desist. The enemy had but a moment before breaking our advance and throwing it into confusion but General J. had rallied it by telling the flying men “Jackson himself calls on you to halt.” The enemy took advantage of our mistake and opened a terrific volley of musketry and artillery, sweeping the roads in which our forces had become massed by the dense growth on either side and the swampy nature of the ground. Disorder reigned supreme for a few moments, the “Great Chief” being struck down; but General A. P. Hill, who had rushed to the General’s side saying, “I have been trying to make the men cease firing,” himself met the advance of the yankee skirmishers then formed a line of men and repulsed them, so saving General J. from capture and he was borne off in a litter by Smith and . One of those bearing him was struck by a shell in the furious cannonade and the General received a fall. I hastened back for an ambulance and some spirits and found Dr. McGuire and sent him forward. I rode a long ways back, but could find no spirits. Mr. Lacey had left me at Tally’s, at dark, and I looked for him in vain. Late at night I found my way back to the Wilderness Tavern, where General Jackson had been taken, and where he was yet in a state of stuper from the shock he had received—, not having rallied enough to have his wounds dressed. At 12, midnight, I started for General Lee’s, with young Chancellor as a guide, to inform him of the state of our affairs, making a wide detour, as the enemy had penetrated our lines. I went around and struck the Catharpen road and went on and found General Lee, at his old camp, at 4 A.M., and informed him of what had occurred. Wilbourn had preceded me an hour and informed him of the General’s wounds. He was much distressed and said he would rather a thousand times it had been himself. He did not wish to converse about it. I informed him of the situation of the troops and he and Colonel Long consulted and arranged for the morrow. I lay down and slept awhile. He ordered General Stuart, who had taken Jackson’s command (General A. P. Hill having been struck on the leg by a shell and disabled for the time), to move around to the right and connect with the left of Anderson who was on General Lee’s right and would move to the left of McLaws who was in his front, and so make a connection behind Chancellorsville which the enemy held. I spent a part of the day at General Lee’s headquarters copying map, and when the enemy advanced towards the front of General Lee and made a demonstration on the rear of General Jackson’s ordnance train and artillery, near the furnace, Mr. Lacy and myself went down the Catharpen road and made our way by the Brock Road to General Jackson’s position in time to be present at the fight. The enemy thought we were retreating towards Richmond when they fell on our train. They were repulsed by some of the artillery that turned back, but they soon came on again and were held in check by the 23rd. Georgia and the Irish Battalion until they surrounded and captured them after an obstinate struggle, but our train escaped. After General Jackson was wounded General Hill restored order, aided by the gallant efforts of Major A. S. Pendleton, and several fierce encounters took place in the night, in all of which the enemy was repulsed. The day was quite warm and pleasant—the night clear. The trees are becoming quite green and the apple and pear trees are in full bloom. Hooker commanded in person on the yankee side. The musketry was incessant from 6 to 6½ P.M. and as heavy as I ever heard. Our loss was considerable. There was a slight shower in the P.M. and a thunder storm towards the Blue Ridge during the battle.
Sunday, May 3rd. After breakfasting with General Lee he sent me back with a message to General Stuart to press the enemy vigorously and make the junction of our wings. The enemy had withdrawn from the furnace so I went that way. Our men were capturing and bringing in the yankee pickets which had been left out. Anderson was forming his line of battle near the furnace to make the junction of the two wings, as I passed. Gen. Lee told me to tell General Stuart that he would soon come there in person. I went on around and down to near Tally’s, and there rested a while, being so sleepy that I could hardly keep my eyes open. Our forces were pressing forward and fighting severely. After resting awhile I started on to look for my friend Boswell, whom I had not seen or heard of since the fight. I went to where the General was wounded and there I found him, some 20 steps in advance, by the road-side, dead, pierced through the heart by two balls and wounded in the leg. I was completely overcome, although I had expected it from the state of his mind before, expecting him to be killed in this fight. His body had been riffled of hat, glass, pistol daguerreotype, & c., but his look in death was as peaceful and pleasant as in life.—I procured an ambulance and took him to where the General was, at Wilderness Tavern, and with many tears buried him in a grave which I had dug in the family burying ground at Elwood, the home of Major J. Horace Lacey, by the side of General Jackson’s arm which had been amputated and buried there. We buried him just as the moon rose, wrapped in his martial coat, Rev. B. T. Lacy making a feeling prayer. Brown, who assisted me, the two men I had employed to dig the grave, Mr. Lacy and myself were all that were present. I wept for him as for a brother; he was kind and gentle and with as few faults as most men. Peace to his memory.
We united the two wings of our army and drove the enemy, by a vigorous and bloody onset, out of his strong works at Chancellorsville and took possession of that place, the loss being very heavy on both sides. Hooker was in the Chancellor house until it was struck by a shell, he then retired to a safer place.
Brown and I slept in the yard at Elwood, on the rich and soft green carpet of its verdant slopes and our weary horses cropped the choice grass. The sight of the dead and wounded today is horrible. Warm and pleasant. A heavy dew in the morning. The woods were on fire in many places and some of the wounded must have been burnt up. Morrison was sent for Mrs. Jackson.
Monday, May 4th. Mr. Lacy aroused me up at an early hour to guide the ambulance with General Jackson and Colonel Crutchfield to Guiney’s Station. I saddled up and we soon got off, going by the Brock Road to Todd’s Tavern and then to Spotsylvania C. H. and on to Guiney Station. The General stood the ride very well. We passed crowds of wounded men going the same way, all cheerful and each one wishing himself the badly wounded one instead of General Jackson.—The day was quite pleasant but we had a thunder storm late in the evening. Our forces fell on the enemy today and drove them from Marye’s Hill which they had taken from us, and drove them up the River; so we now have the old town again. We found the cavalry camp at Spotsylvania C. H. and the country full of wild rumors about the Yankee cavalry raids to Richmond, cutting our communications, etc. I found that our wagons at Guiney’s had been sent away to avoid capture and were back again in alarm. Found Col. French at Guiney’s, he having been on the train that was captured near Ashland. He said the enemy was at Chickahominy Bridge and there was nothing to keep them from Richmond & c. That the enemy had destroyed much of the Virginia Central Railroad and that Stoneman was behaving very well. Col. F. slept with me. General Jackson stood the ride very well. I washed and cleaned up and got some sleep. General Jackson came to Guiney’s by General Lee’s advice.
Tuesday, May 5th. We were roused up before day by a report that the enemy was coming—, that is—his cavalry, and the wagons were hitched up to depart; so I got on my horse and went over to see the General; found him cheerful, although he had not rested much; bade him good-by. He said he hoped to be soon in the field again and sent his regards to General Lee. I went by Mr. Alsop’s and breakfasted with him, then on to near Fredericksburg and across to the plank road and thence on to General Lee’s headquarters near Chancellorsville. I ascertained that he wanted the roads to the United States Ford, so went back by the furnace to get them and on to Mr. Stevens’, where, in the P.M., there was a heavy thunder storm. After which I went on to Mr. Bullock’s, a mile beyond Wilderness Run and learned from him about the roads, & c. Some young men came after him for a guide. We went to bed for a short time.
We fought the enemy near Salem Church yesterday. It was cool in the morning; the rain made the mud very deep. We have many thousand Yankee prisoners at Guiney’s.
Wednesday, May 6th. We were up at 3 A.M. and off to camp. I found Gen. Stuart near Chancellorsville, asleep, the division of Gen. Rodes about moving to the enemy’s right flank to dislodge him from his strong position between Chancellorsville and United States Ford. General Stuart sent me on to General Lee and told me to tell him he was satisfied the enemy was retreating. I found General Lee at his old camp and just dressing. He did not much credit the report of the enemy’s retreat, and, after a cup of coffee, sent me back to tell General Stuart to press on the movement to our left. General Lee soon came up and he and General Stuart had a consultation, with the map, about the roads I had ascertained. General A. P. Hill soon came up and joined them. It rained nearly all of last night, hard, and most of to-day. It was soon ascertained that the enemy had retreated, leaving five lines of strong entrenchments which they had just thrown up. We followed them closely but they had availed themselves of the rain and darkness to make good their escape, and the mud, and the immense advantage secured to them by the other bank for artillery, prevented our doing them much damage, though we took a good many prisoners.
We spent most of the day near Chancellorsville. Orders were given for the forces to go back to their old camps. General Lee directed me to make a map of the battlefield, then General Stuart and then General A. P. Hill to whom I had reported. Late in the evening General A. P. Hill’s wagons started back towards our old quarters. I went on and waited for them, but they did not come, so I started to go to Colonel Smith’s quarters, but the rain, mud and darkness made me halt in a Miss. camp, where I was kindly entertained by the Sergeant of the 12th., and got a good night’s rest. It has rained heavily and is quite cold.