The cavalry, supported by the Stonewall Brigade, was immediately placed a short distance down the plank road, in order to mask the march of the column.  At 4 P.M.  Rodes was on the turnpike.  Passing down it for about a mile, in the direction of the enemy’s position, the troops were ordered to halt and form for battle.  Not a shot had been fired.  A few hostile patrols had been observed, but along the line of breastworks, watched closely by the cavalry, the Federal troops, still in the most careless security, were preparing their evening meal.  Jackson, meanwhile, seated on a stump near the Brock road, had penned his last dispatch to General Lee.

“Near 3 P.M.  May 2, 1863.

“General,—­The enemy has made a stand at Chancellor’s,* (* Melzi Chancellor’s house; otherwise Dowdall’s Tavern.) which is about two miles from Chancellorsville.  I hope as soon as practicable to attack.  I trust that an ever-kind Providence will bless us with great success.

“Respectfully,

“T.J.  Jackson, Lieutenant-General.

“The leading division is up, and the next two appear to be well closed.

“T.J.J.

“General B.E.  Lee.”

25,000 men were now deploying in the forest within a mile of the Federal works, overlapping them both to north and south, and not a single general in the Northern army appears to have suspected their presence.  The day had passed quietly at Chancellorsville.  At a very early hour in the morning Hooker, anticipating a vigorous attack, had ordered the First Army Corps, which had hitherto been acting with Sedgwick below Fredericksburg, to recross the Rappahannock and march to Chancellorsville.  Averell’s division of cavalry, also, which had been engaged near Orange Court House with W. H. F. Lee’s two regiments, was instructed about the same time to rejoin the army as soon as possible, and was now marching by the left bank of the Rapidan to Ely’s Ford.  Anticipating, therefore, that he would soon be strongly reinforced, Hooker betrayed no uneasiness.  Shortly after dawn he had ridden round his lines.  Expecting at that time to be attacked in front only, he had no fault to find with their location or construction.  “As he looked over the barricades,” says General Howard, “while receiving the cheers and salutes of the men, he said to me, ‘How strong! how strong!’ When the news came that a Confederate column was marching westward past Catherine Furnace, his attention, for the moment, was attracted to his right.  At 10 A.M. he was still uncertain as to the meaning of Jackson’s movement.  As the hours went by, however, and Jackson’s column disappeared in the forest, he again grew confident; the generals were informed that Lee was in full retreat towards Gordonsville, and a little later Sedgwick received the following: 

“Chancellorsville, May 2, 1863, 4.10 P.M.

“General Butterfield,—­The Major-General Commanding directs that General Sedgwick cross the river (sic) as soon as indications will permit,* (* Sedgwick had crossed the river on April 29 and 30.) capture Fredericksburg with everything in it, and vigorously pursue the enemy.  We know that the enemy is fleeing, trying to save his trains.  Two of Sickles’ divisions are among them.