The Light Division supplied both the first and second lines of Jackson’s army corps.  To the left of Walker’s guns, posted in a shelter-trench within the skirts of the wood, was Archer’s brigade of seven regiments, including two of Field’s, the left resting on a coppice that projected beyond the general line of forest.  On the further side of this coppice, but nearer the embankment, lay Lane’s brigade, an unoccupied space of six hundred yards intervening between his right and Archer’s left.  Between Lane’s right and the edge of the coppice was an open tract two hundred yards in breadth.  Both of these brigades had a strong skirmish line pushed forward along and beyond the railroad.  Five hundred yards in rear, along a road through the woods which had been cut by Longstreet’s troops, Gregg’s South Carolina brigade, in second line, covered the interval between Archer and Lane.  To Lane’s left rear lay Pender’s brigade, supporting twelve guns posted in the open, on the far side of the embankment, and twenty-one massed in a field to the north of a small house named Bernard’s Cabin.  Four hundred yards in rear of Lane’s left and Pender’s right was stationed Thomas’s brigade of four regiments.*

(* The dispositions were as follows:—­
          12 guns Lane Archer
          ------- ---- ------ 14 guns
21 guns -------
------- ----- Thomas
          Pender ------
                               ------
                               Gregg )

It is necessary to notice particularly the shape, size, and position of the projecting tongue of woodland which broke the continuity of Hill’s line.  A German officer on Stuart’s staff had the day previous, while riding along the position, remarked its existence, and suggested the propriety of razing it; but, although Jackson himself predicted that there would be the scene of the severest fighting, the ground was so marshy within its depths, and the undergrowth so dense and tangled, that it was judged impenetrable and left unoccupied—­an error of judgment which cost many lives.  General Lane had also recognised the danger of leaving so wide a gap between Archer and himself, and had so reported, but without effect, to his divisional commander.

(Map.  The Field of Fredericksburg.)

The coppice was triangular in shape, and extended nearly six hundred yards beyond the embankment.  The base, which faced the Federals, was five hundred yards long.  Beyond the apex the ground was swampy and covered with scrub, and the ridge, depressed at this point to a level with the plain, afforded no position from which artillery could command the approach to or issue from this patch of jungle.  A space of seven hundred yards along the front was thus left undefended by direct fire.

Early, who with D.H.  Hill had marched in shortly after daybreak, formed the right of the third line, Taliaferro the left.  The division of D.H.  Hill, with several batteries, formed the general reserve, and a portion of Early’s artillery was posted about half a mile in rear of his division, in readiness, if necessary, to relieve the guns on Prospect Hill.