only to be repulsed with terrible loss, until about 12 o’clock the Irish Brigade, under General Meagher, advanced at the spot on the Sunken Road which is now marked by the monument to General Cobb, he having fallen earlier in the day, and boldly charging across the shot-swept plains, opposed to it were men as fearless and as staunch; behind that rude stone breastworks, those who were “bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh,” as some of the soldiers of Cobb’s Brigade were Irish like themselves. On the morning of battle General Meagher had bade his men deck their caps with sprigs of evergreen “to remind them,” he said “of the land of their birth.” The symbol was recognized by their countrymen, and “Oh, God, what a pity! Here comes Meagher’s fellows,” was the cry in the Confederate ranks. The rapidly thinning line now was within a hundred yards of their goal, suddenly a sheet of flame leaped from the parapet, to their glory be it told, though scores be swept away, falling in their tracks, like corn before the sicle, the ever thinning ranks dashed on. Of the 1,200 officers and men in this gallant charge, 937 had fallen; one body, that of an officer, was found within fifteen feet of the parapet.

CHANCELLORSVILLE HOUSE AS IT APPEARED DURING THE WAR

It is due to the truth of history to say that not in all the annals of war, neither in the “charge of the six hundred” at Balaklava, nor in Pickett’s charge at Gettysburg was there ever displayed a more signal instance of dauntless courage than was exhibited by the men who made these hopeless attempts to carry Marye’s Heights.

Under the cover of darkness and storm the Federals withdrew across the river two days later and resumed their position on the Stafford heights.

SALEM CHURCH

“STONEWALL” JACKSON MONUMENT

Fredericksburg played an important part in the battle of Chancellorsville, on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th of May, 1863. When General Hooker marched ninety thousand men across the Rapidan at Germania and Ely’s Ford and entrenched them behind breast-works in the impenetrable jungle of stunted growth that screened and protected the plateau in front of the Chancellorsville House, he left thirty thousand men, under General Sedgwick, on the Stafford heights, opposite Fredericksburg. General Lee left Early with 8,500 muskets (a part of Jackson’s corps) to hold back Sedgwick, while he marched with the main body of Jackson’s corps and two divisions of Longstreet’s corps to confront Hooker at Chancellorsville. These two divisions of Longstreet’s corps were those of Anderson and McLaws. Longstreet, himself, with the other two divisions of his corps, was down on the Blackwater, below Richmond, and did not participate in the battle of Chancellorsville. Jackson was mortally wounded at nightfall on Saturday, the 2nd of May, after routing and driving back in wild panic, the right wing of Hooker’s army. The next morning (Sunday) a union was effected between Jackson’s divisions and the two divisions of Longstreet’s corps, and a combined, impetuous assault carried the Federal position in front of Chancellorsville, and the beaten enemy retreated to their second line of breastworks. Just as General Lee was preparing (on Sunday, at noon) to renew the assault, word reached him that Sedgwick had crossed the river and carried the Marye Heights, and was marching on Chancellorsville to join Hooker. The Confederate commander, in the exercise of what a great