A Conversation with Stonewall Jackson

This week's post features an article originally published in the Detroit Free Press and copied in the June 17, 1863 issue of the Urbana Union. The article, in the form of a narrative, gives the experience of Captain William Duncan Wilkins at the Battle of Chancellorsville. 
Captain William D. Wilkins
(Detroit Historical Society)

 Captain Wilkins, a native of Detroit, had served during the Mexican War as an lieutenant in the 15th U.S. Infantry and was serving on the staff of Brigadier General Alpheus S. Williams. General Williams, another Detroiter, commanded the First Division of the 12th Corps at Chancellorsville. Captain Wilkins was wounded and captured on May 2, 1863 and brought to Stonewall Jackson for interrogation just as Jackson was lining up his troops for the late evening assault on the broken Union line. 

 Wilkins' account is an interesting one in that it adds another perspective on Jackson's final moments at Chancellorsville and I can't say that I've seen any other accounts from other Union officers personally interrogated by Jackson at the battle. Also, this was Wilkins second time in Confederate hands having been captured the previous August at the Battle of Cedar Mountain. So without further ado...
Urbana Union, June 17, 1863, pg. 1

 Captain William D. Wilkins of the staff of General A.S. Williams, commanding a division of the 12th Corps, who was wounded and taken prisoner in the battle of Chancellorsville returned to this city on Tuesday evening being on parole. From him we learn some interesting particulars of the battle never before published.

          
He was placed in charge of a guard who took him a short distance to the rear and to the plank road where he met General Jackson and staff. Jackson had at this time formed a column of attack on the plank road with the design of flanking our army and obtaining possession of United States Ford which would have undoubtedly resulted in the total annihilation of our army. The column consisted of upwards of 15,000 men, massed in columns of sections, having three batteries of artillery on the flank. It is said by learned military authorities that this column of attack has never before been adopted in modern warfare except by Bonaparte at Arcola. The military genius of Jackson shone brighter every day and had his plan succeeded, the result to our army cannot be estimated.
"Old Pap" Williams later led the 20th Corps during the
March to the Sea and earned a reputation as a hard fighter.
(Library of Congress)

    Jackson was sitting on his horse at the head of the column surrounded by his staff. He wore a new suit of gray uniform, and was a spare man with a weather-beaten face and a bright, grayish blue eye. He had a peculiarly sad and gloomy expression of countenance as though he already saw a premonition of his fate. It was but fifteen minutes later that he was mortally wounded. As they came into his presence, the guard announced “a captured Yankee officer.” 
Captain Williams was brought into Jackson's presence mere minutes before he was wounded on the evening of May 2, 1863. "Jackson was sitting on his horse at the head of the column surrounded by his staff. He wore a new suit of gray uniform, and was a spare man with a weather-beaten face and a bright, grayish blue eye. He had a peculiarly sad and gloomy expression of countenance as though he already saw a premonition of his fate." 

    Captain Wilkins asked if it was Major General Thomas J. Jackson. On being answered in the affirmative, he raised his hat. General Jackson said, “A Regular Army officer, I suppose. Your officers do not often salute ours?” Captain Wilkins replied, “No, I am not. I salute you out of respect to you as a gallant officer.” He then asked his name and rank. On being informed, he further inquired what corps and commanders were opposed in front. Captain Wilkins replied that as an officer, he could not return a truthful answer to such questions. Jackson then turned to the guard and ordered them to search him. He then had in the breast pocket of his coat Hooker’s confidential orders to corps commanders giving a plan in part of the campaign, the countersigns of the field for a week in advance, and the field returns giving the effective strength of the 12th Corps on the following day. These were exceedingly important papers.
Jackson and his staff surveying the carnage of battle. 

    Fortunately before the guard could carry the orders into execution, a terrific raking fire was opened on Jackson’s column by 20 pieces of artillery commanded by Captain Best from an eminence on the plank road. The first eight or ten shots flew over the heads of the column. The men and gunners dismounted, leaving their horses and guns. Our artillery soon got the range with more precision and the shells and round shot ricocheted and plowed through this dense mass of the enemy with terrific effect. Shells were continually bursting and the screams and groans of the wounded and dying could be heard on every side.

    As an instance of this terrific effect of fire, one of the guard was struck by a solid shot just below the hips sweeping off both his legs. A battery came dashing up, but when they got into the vortex of the fire, the gunners fled and could not be made to man them. An officer splendidly mounted and equipped attempted in a most gallant manner to rally them. A ball struck him on the neck, completely severing his head from his body and leaving his spinal column standing. His body rolled to the ground and the horse galloped to the rear. One of the shells struck a caisson full of artillery ammunition which, exploding, ascended in a crater of various colored flames and showered down on the heads of the men below a mass of fragments of shot and shell. The loss inflicted by this fire must have been terrible placing considerably over 1,000 men hors du combat and effectually breaking up the contemplated attack of the column.
This colorful if fanciful Kurz & Allison print depicts the wounding of General Jackson (on the right surrounded by mounted staff officers) on the evening of May 2, 1863. Jackson would subsequently lose his left arm and die of pneumonia eight days later at Guinea Station, Virginia with his beloved wife at his side. "Let us cross over and rest under the shade of the trees" were his last reported words. 

    An officer of Jackson’s staff subsequently stated that it was about 15 minutes after this that General Jackson with staff advanced to the front to reconnoiter our position, having accomplished which he returned by a different path toward his own men who, mistaking his approach for that of a party of our cavalry, fired upon him, killing and wounded four of his staff and wounding Jackson once in the right arm and twice in the left arm and hand.
Captain Wilkins cleverly disposed of his important papers
by offering them as kindling to his frustrated Confederate
guard. "The soldier took them and, not dreaming of their
importance, used them to kindle the fire," Wilkins wrote.

    While Captain Wilkins was being taken to the rear, he devoted his attention to disposing of the important papers which he had on his person. He dared not take them from his pocket to attempt to tear them up but continually placed his hand in his pocket and worked the papers into a ball and as they were passing along, got them into his bosom and finally into the arm pit under his arm where he carried them all that night. The next morning the guard halted to get their breakfast and a soldier was trying to kindle a fire to cook some coffee which they had taken from our men. The wood was wet and the fire refused to burn. The soldier swore at it until his patience gave out when Captain Wilkins asked him if he would not like some kindling and handed him the important papers. The soldier took them and, not dreaming of their importance, used them to kindle the fire.

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