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[441] fifteen miles southeast of the battle-field of the Wilderness.* The march of the infantry was not to be begun until after nightfall; but it was necessary to make earlier disposition of the immense trains; and for this purpose, they were withdrawn from the battle-field in the middle of the afternoon, and sent to Chancellorsville, there to park for the night. This movement of the trains apprised the enemy of Grant's withdrawal, but not of his objective; and it was by a mere accident that a Confederate corps marched towards Spottsylvania that night.1

The direct route to Spottsylvania Courthouse is by the Brock road, via Todd's Tavern. On this road, the Fifth Corps, under General Warren, was to take the advance, and, by a rapid march, seize Spottsylvania Courthouse. Hancock's corps was to follow on the same line, while the corps of Sedgwick and Burnside were to move on an exterior route, by way of Chancellorsville.2 The route of march of Lee, in

1 The accident befell in this wise. Lee seeing that Grant was moving off somewhere, but not knowing whether towards Fredericksburg or Spottsylvania, instructed Anderson, now commanding Longstreet's corps, to draw out his corps from the breastworks and camp it in readiness to move to Spottsylvania in the morning. Anderson not being able to find a good place to bivouac (the woods being on fire), began the match that night, about ten o'clock.

2 The following order of march will assist those who desire to study the logistics of this movement:

headquarters Army of the Potomac, May 7, 3 P. M.
The following movements are ordered for to-day and to-night:

1st. The trains of the Sixth Corps authorized to accompany the troops will be moved, at four o'clock P. M., to Chancellorsville, and park on the left of the road, and held ready to follow the Sixth Corps during the night march.

2d. The trains of the Fifth Corps authorized to accompany the troops will be moved, at five o'clock P. M., to Chancellorsville, following the trains of the Sixth Corps, and parking with them, and held ready to follow those trains in the movement to-night.

3d. The trains of the Second Corps authorized to accompany the troops will be moved, at six o'clock P. M., to Chancellorsville, and park on the right of the road, and held ready to move at the same hour with the other trains, by way of Furnace's, to Todd's Tavern, keeping clear of the Brock road, which will be used by the troops.

4th. Corps-commanders will send escorts with these trains.

5th. The Reserve Artillery will move at seven o'clock, by way of Chancellorsville, Aldrich's, and Piney Branch Church, to the intersection of the road from Piney Branch Church to Spottsylvania Courthouse, and the road from Alsop's to Block House, and park to the rear of the last-named road, so as to give room for the Sixth Corps.

6th. At half-past 8 P. M., Major-General Warren, commanding Fifth Corps, will move to Spottsylvania Courthouse, by way of Brock road and Todd's Tavern.

7th. At eight and a half o'clock P. M., Major-General Sedgwick, commanding Sixth Corps, will move, by the pike and plankroad, to Chancellorsville, when he will be joined by the authorized trains of his own corps and those of the Fifth Corps; thence, by way of Aldrich's and Piney Branch Church, to Spottsylvania Courthouse, and the road from Alsop's to Block House. The trains of Fifth Corps will then join the corps at Spottsylvania Courthouse.

8th. Major-General Hancock, commanding Second Corps, will move to Todd's Tavern, by the Brock road, following Fifth Corps closely.

9th. Headquarters during the movement will be along the route of the Fifth and Second corps, and at the close of the movement, near the Sixth.

10th. The pickets of the Fifth and Sixth corps will be withdrawn at one o'clock A. M., and those of the Second at two A. M., and will follow the routes of their respective corps.

11th. The cavalry now under the command of Colonel Hammond will be left by General Sedgwick at the Old Wilderness Tavern, and upon being informed by General Hancock of the withdrawal of this corps and pickets, will follow that corps.

12th. Corps-commanders will see that the movements are made with punctuality and promptitude.

13th. Major-General Sheridan, commanding cavalry corps, will have a sufficient force, on the approaches from the right, to keep the corps-commanders advised in time of the appearance of the enemy.

14th. It is understood that General Burnside's command will follow the Sixth Corps.

By command of


1866.

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