We Were Not Defeated: A Fifth Corps Clerk Describes Chancellorsville

                                                                                             Five Days at Chancellorsville

“Why did we retreat? It was the Rebels’ retaking of Fredericksburg and the fear that our line of communication might be destroyed as well as that we might be severed from our source of supplies. We were not defeated for we whipped the enemy in every battle, save the one on Saturday night when the 11th Corps broke.”

This was how James Hawley Mandeville, the son of a New York minister then serving as a clerk at headquarters of the 5th Army Corps, explained the Federal defeat at Chancellorsville. Mandeville had dropped out of college in the summer of 1862 to try his fortune as a soldier. Joining up with the veteran 44th New York Volunteers from his hometown of Penn Yan, New York, Mandeville gained an appointment to a clerkship with the Provost Marshal’s office of the 5th Army Corps during the early months of 1863, and witnessed Chancellorsville as part of General George Meade’s headquarters contingent.

His account of the campaign first saw publication in the May 21, 1863, edition of the Yates County Chronicle published in Penn Yan, New York.

 

Private James Hawley Mandeville dropped out of college to join the ranks of the 44th New York in August 1862. He served with the regiment for just a few months before securing a clerkship with the provost marshal's office of the 5th Army Corps. Mandeville later transferred to a clerkship with the assistant adjutant general of the 5th Corps until late April 1864 when he was ordered on detached duty in Washington, D.C. He was transferred to Co. A of the 140th New York in October 1864 but never served in the field with the regiment, remaining in Washington until he was discharged May 6, 1865. After the war, Mandeville remained in Washington, D.C. where he worked as an attorney specializing in patents, land laws, and territorial land regulations. 

Headquarters, 5th Army Corps near Falmouth, Virginia

May 11, 1863

          Upon Monday the 27th ultimo, the Army of the Potomac struck tents and commenced operations against the enemy. This corps (the 5th) moved out as follows: General George Sykes Second Division at 10 a.m., General Charles Griffin’s First Division at 11 a.m., and General Andrew Humphrey’s Third Division at noon. On Monday night, General Meade’s headquarters were at Hartwood Church, 8 miles distant from here.

Tuesday night and part of Wednesday, Stoneman’s cavalry, the 5th, 11th, and 12th Corps crossed the Rappahannock at Kelly’s Ford, the enemy having possession of U.S. Ford at that time. This force the same day commenced crossing the Rapidan River, the whole getting over on Thursday. That night, our pickets extended two miles beyond Chancellorsville on the plank road leading from Culpeper to Richmond. The 11th and 12th Corps composed the right wing extending to the Rapidan, while the 5th and 2nd Corps (the 2nd joining the right wing) formed the left wing which reached the Rappahannock one mile below U.S. Ford, our center being near Chancellorsville.

Major General George G. Meade, commanding Fifth Army Corps

Upon Friday the 5th Corps was attacked near noon. The divisions commanded by Generals Sykes and Griffin were obliged to fall back one and a half miles. General Humphrey’s division was not in the action having been ordered by General Hooker to reconnoiter the position of the enemy in the direction of Banks’ Ford.

In the evening, the Rebels charged upon our artillery in the center but were repulsed with severe loss. The 3rd Corps was posted in the front as a reserve force. That night, the headquarters of Generals Hooker and Meade were at Chancellorsville. We may consider our line of battle as formed on Saturday morning. I was awoke at 3 o’clock, General Meade’s tent was struck at that time and every preparation was made for a great battle.

Skirmishing continued all that day in our front until about 4 p.m. The enemy then commenced the battle by vigorously shelling our center, one or two shells reaching where I was at the Chandler house, at which was the headquarters of the 2nd and 5th Corps, about a quarter mile to the rear of Chancellorsville. This made a hasty retreat of the pack mules, “cavalry,” ammunition and supply trains, which had injudiciously been allowed to congregate so near the front. This was a feint, for at that time, they powerfully attacked our right wing. This was so boldly and determinedly carried out that the 11th Corps broke and skedaddled, bringing confusion to the 12th Corps who supported them. They were driven back a mile along with some of our artillery.

Colors of the 44th N.Y.

Our center Saturday night was drawn back on a line with the Chancellor House. Late that night, the 3rd Corps mostly regained the ground lost by the 11th Corps. We were also reinforced by General John Reynolds and his 1st Corps. Then it must be confessed our cause looked a little gloomy for the enemy had the best of us.

Early Sabbath morning, the 5th and 11th Corps exchanged places; the 5th held the ground lost by the 11th and threw up entrenchments. The enemy attacked us and in the course of the fight, which lasted from a little after sunrise until 1 p.m., they made four distinct charges on our artillery which numbered 100 pieces.

Stonewall Jackson tried his best to break our center and failed. [Jeb Stuart actually directed the May 3rd attack- ed. note] The shells set the woods on fire in which very many of the wounded of both armies burned up. About 10 a.m., General French’s division of the 2nd Corps charged through the woods, routing the Rebels, but not being supported, were finally obliged to fall back. In Sunday’s fight, the 3rd Corps was badly cut to pieces; General Berry was killed, and our own commanding general had a very narrow escape from death. General Hooker would be in the front and I was told by the artillerists who saw him there that he issued his orders where our artillery was posted in the front.

Sunday night the day was ours. All day Monday until almost night it was all quiet. General Meade then ordered out a brigade to feel the enemy. The Second Brigade of General Griffin’s division was selected, they found the enemy in force, were driven back, but as soon as they got inside their entrenchments, our cannons opened upon the Rebels and piled their dead up in heaps.

Tuesday morning there was an artillery fight directly in our front and it would be safe to say that 60 cannons were fired per minute. This charge of the enemy was also a failure; one of their own number told me that our artillery mowed them down as grass. In the afternoon we had a severe rainstorm and by 8 p.m. I was on my way towards the Rappahannock which I crossed about 11 p.m. We encamped near U.S. Ford and in the morning marched back to the old headquarters of this corps.

Why did we retreat? It was the Rebels’ retaking of Fredericksburg and the fear that our line of communication might be destroyed as well as that we might be severed from our source of supplies. We were not defeated for we whipped the enemy in every battle, save the one on Saturday night when the 11th Corps broke.

To learn about the fighting on May 3 at Chancellorsville, please check out these posts:

Maverick’s Journal of the Chancellorsville Campaign

Among the Guns at Chancellorsville

One of the “Crazy Delawares” Captured at Chancellorsville

Source:

Letter from Private James Hawley Mandeville, Co. C, 44th New York Volunteer Infantry, Yates County Chronicle (New York), May 21, 1863, pg. 1


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