Hooker, in view of a possible defeat, directed his engineer officers to lay out a new and stronger line, to cover his bridges, to which he could retreat in case of necessity.
At sunset the First Corps went into bivouac on the south side of United States Ford, about four miles and a half from Chancellorsville.
The men were glad enough to rest after their tedious march on a hot day, loaded down with eight days' rations.

General Reynolds left me temporarily in charge of the corps, while he rode on to confer with Hooker.

We heard afar off the roar of the battle caused by Jackson's attack, and saw the evening sky reddened with the fires of combat, but knowing Hooker had a large force, we felt no anxiety as to the result, and took it for granted that we would not be wanted until the next day.

I was preparing a piece of india- rubber cloth as a couch when I saw one of Reynolds' aids, Captain Wadsworth, coming down the road at full speed.

He brought the startling news that the Eleventh Corps had fled, and if we did not go forward at once, the army would be hopelessly defeated.