squarely across his path.

For a moment the Union commander was fairly astounded. He had
prophesied that his adversary would fly from Fredericksburg, but he
had not expected him to move so soon or in this direction. Indeed,
his well-matured plans were based on the supposition that Lee would
remain where he wanted him to be until he was ready to spring his
trap, quite forgetting that though it is easy to catch birds after
you have put salt on their tails, it is rather difficult to make
them wait while you salt them. As a matter of fact, Lee had taken
alarm the moment his cavalry scouts reported his opponent's movement
towards the fords and, realizing that he would be caught if he
remained where he was, he had rapidly departed from Fredericksburg,
leaving only enough force to occupy Sedgwick's attention. Even
then he was in a precarious position, for Hooker's flanking army
alone outnumbered him and the force threatening Fredericksburg
would certainly start in pursuit of him as soon as it discovered
that the bulk of his army had withdrawn from that city. All this
was equally clear to Hooker after his first gasp of astonishment,
and as he hurriedly ordered Sedgwick to attack Fredericksburg with
part of his forces and to send the rest as reenforcement against
Lee, he confidently believed that his foe had delivered himself
into his hands.

But Lee, though cornered, was not yet caught. He had to think and
act quickly but though he had only 45,000 men and Hooker had 70,000
on the spot, his idea was not to escape but to attack. A close
examination of the opposing lines in front and at the Federal left
disclosed no weakness, but the right beyond Chancellorsville looked
more hopeful. Then a brilliant idea suddenly occurred to his mind.