That night a council of war was held, and it was agreed that an attack upon the front of the enemy's position was absolutely impossible.

Hooker himself was so positive that his position was impregnable that he issued a general order of congratulation to his troops, saying that "the enemy must now ingloriously fly or give us battle on our own ground, where certain destruction awaits him." Jackson then suggested that he should work right round the Wilderness in front of the enemy's position, march down until well on its flank, and attack it there, where they would be unprepared for an assault.

The movement was one of extraordinary peril.

Lee would be left with but one division in face of an immensely superior force; Jackson would have to perform an arduous march, exposed to an attack by the whole force of the enemy; and both might be destroyed separately without being able to render the slightest assistance to each other.

At daybreak on the 2d of May Jackson mustered his troops for the advance.