Second Battle of Marye's Heights

General Robert Lee and his troops had just driven the enemy from Chancellorsville and was already beginning to plan his next attack but stopped for two hours to let his men rest.  During their rest Lee heard news that Union Major General Sedgwick had broken through at Fredericksburg and was on his way behind him.  Sedgewick was in command of the left wing of the Union Army under Major General Hooker and was ordered to march on the Orange Plank Road to Chancellorsville.  The plan was for Sedgwick to attack Lee's forces from behind while Hooker attacked his front.  Sedgwick began marching after midnight on May 2, 1863 toward Fredericksburg.  By day light they had reached Marye's Heights but the Confederates had gained control already.  

Sedgwick sent Brigadier General Newton to see how many Confederate troops were holding the position.  Major General Jubal Early and his 12,000 troops were ready for Newton and Sedgwick's troops.  Sedgwick's troops were sent out to fight against the Confederates to take control of the position but were stopped without any real effort.  After failure during the first attack on the Confederate flanks, Sedgwick decided to change position and have three columnns of troops running with bayonets up to the Confederate flanks.  Sedgwick believed that the Union troops charging with bayonets would overwhelm the Confederates and bring success to the attack.

The order was given for the three columnns of troops to charge the Heights but at first did not seem to be working to their advantage as many Union Troops in the first columnn fell.  As the columnns began to reach the walls of Marye's Heights the Confederates started to drop back.  Finally the Union troops pushed their way up the Heights and captured the guns that were used against them.  The Confederate troops that were not killed, wounded, or captured retreated south.

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