He then remained silent, but seeing Captain Wilbourn rise, as if to go, he requested him to remain, as he wished to “talk with him some more,” and proceeded to ask a number of questions in reference to the position of the troops, who was in command, etc.  When informed that Rhodes was in temporary command, but that Stuart had been sent for, he exclaimed:  “Rhodes is a gallant, courageous, and energetic officer;” and asked where Jackson and Stuart could be found, calling for paper and pencil to write to them.  Captain Wilbourn added that, from what he had heard Jackson say, he thought he intended to get possession, if possible, of the road to United States Ford in the Federal rear, and so cut them off from the river that night, or early in the morning.  At these words, Lee rose quickly and said with animation, “These people must be pressed to-day.”

It would seem that at this moment a messenger—­probably Captain Hotchkiss, Jackson’s skilful engineer—­arrived from Wilderness Tavern, bringing a note from the wounded general.  Lee read it with much feeling, and dictated the following reply: 

GENERAL:  I have just received your note informing me that you were wounded.  I cannot express my regret at the occurrence.  Could I have directed events, I should have chosen, for the good of the country, to have been disabled in your stead.

    I congratulate you upon the victory, which is due to your skill
    and energy.  R.E.  LEE, General.

This was dispatched with a second note to Stuart, directing him to assume command, and press the enemy at dawn.  Lee then mounted his horse, and, just as the day began to break, formed line of battle opposite the enemy’s front, his line extending on the right to the plank-road running from Chancellorsville in the direction of Fredericksburg.  This force, under the personal command of Lee, amounted, as we have said, originally to about thirteen thousand men; and, as their loss had not been very severe in the demonstrations made against the enemy on the preceding days, they were in good condition.  The obvious course now was to place the troops in a position which would enable them, in the event of Stuart’s success in driving the Federal right, to unite the left of Lee’s line with the right of Stuart, and so press the Federal army back on Chancellorsville and the river.  We shall now return to the left wing of the army, which, in spite of the absence of the commanding general, was the column of attack, which was looked to for the most important results.

In response to the summons of the preceding night, Stuart had come back from the direction of Ely’s Ford, at a swift gallop, burning with ardor at the thought of leading Jackson’s great corps into battle.  The military ambition of this distinguished commander of Lee’s horse was great, and he had often chafed at the jests directed at the cavalry arm, and at himself as “only a cavalry-officer.”