CHAPTER II.
FRIDAY, THE FIRST OF MAY.
There are two excellent roads leading from Chancellorsville to Fredericksburg--one a plank road, which keeps up near the sources of the streams along the dividing line between Mott Run on the north and Lewis Creek and Massaponax Creek on the South, and the other called the old turnpike, which was more direct but more broken, as it passed over several ravines.

There was still a third road, a very poor one, which ran near the river and came out at Banks' Ford.
On May 1st, at 11 A.M., Hooker moved out to attack Lee in four columns.
Slocum's corps, followed by that of Howard, took the plank road on the right.
Sykes' division of Meade's corps, followed by Hancock's division of Couch's corps, went by the turnpike in the centre.
The remainder of Meade's corps--Griffin's division, followed by that of Humphreys--took the river road.
Lastly, French's division of Couch's corps was under orders to turn off and march to Todd's Tavern.
Each column was preceded by a detachment of Pleasonton's cavalry, which, in fact, had been close to Anderson's pickets all the morning.
Before these troops started, Sickles' corps arrived, after a short march, from Hartwood Church, and were posted in rear of the Chancellorsville House as a reserve, with one brigade thrown out to Dowdall's Tavern, otherwise known as Melzi Chancellor's house.
Another brigade was left at the Ford to guard the passage against Fitz Hugh Lee's cavalry.
Hooker, who was a very sanguine man, expected to be able to form line of battle by 2 P.M., with his right resting near Tabernacle Church, and his left covering Banks' Ford.

It did not seem to occur to him that the enemy might be there before him and prevent the formation, or that he would have any difficulty in moving and deploying his troops; but he soon found himself hampered in every direction by dense and almost impenetrable thickets, which had a tendency to break up every organization that tried to pass through them into mere crowds of men without order or alignment.

Under these circumstances concert of action became exceedingly difficult, and when attempts were made to communicate orders off the roads, aids wandered hopelessly through the woods, struggling in the thick undergrowth, without being able to find any one.

It was worse then fighting in a dense fog.* The enemy, of course, were also impeded in their movements, but they had the advantage of being better acquainted with the country, and in case they were beaten they had a line at Tabernacle Church already intrenched to fall back upon.
The ravines also, which crossed the upper roads at right angles, offered excellent defensive positions for them.
[* One brigade of Griffin's division was out all night trying to find its way through the thickets, and did not reach the main army until 4 A.M.