The Heights at Smith Run

The Heights at Smith Run. May 4, 1863. From May 1-3, 1863 Generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson fought a powerful federal army to a standstill at Chancellorsville, while Major General Jubal A. Early's division confronted the Union 6th Corps at Fredericksburg. On May 4th, following battles fought at Fredericksburg and Salem Church the day before, Early used Brigadier General William Smith's Brigade to probe the Federal line near the Plank Road. He found it strongly held and so began careful preparations for another attack. At 6:00 P.M., Early launched his other brigades against the Union force. Brigadier Generals Robert F. Hoke, Harry T. Hays, and John B. Gordon led their men forward against the Federals positioned on the ridge traversed by modern day Cowan Boulevard. This first line collapsed under the pressure and the Confederates pressed on, across Smith Run. Colonel Lewis A. Grant's Vermont Brigade held the ridge west of the creek and the severe fighting continued. The soldiers of Vermont counterattacked, but as the sun went down, they were outflanked by Gordon's Brigade, which had worked it's way north to Fall Hill. The Federals pulled back to a new line of defense along present day Fall Hill Avenue, which they held that night while the Union Sixth Corps retreated across the Rappahannock River at Banks Ford., This memorial is dedicated in memory of the 846 Confederate soldiers from Major General Early's Division who were killed and wounded in the defense of Fredericksburg at Smith Run, May 4, 1863., List of killed and wounded as reported by Surg. L. Guild, C.S. Army Medical Director (Campaign of Chancellorsville), Smith's Brigade , [Photograph of] Brig. Gen. William Smith , 13th Virginia 36 , 49th Virginia 10 , 52nd Virginia 12 , 58th Virginia 28, Hoke's Brigade , [Photograph of] Brig. Gen. Robert F Hoke , Brig. Gen. R. Hoke wounded 1 , 6th North Carolina 29 , 21st North Carolina 78 , 54th North Carolina 41 , 57th North Carolina 70 , 1st North Carolina Battalion 11, Hay's Brgade> , [Photograph of] Brig. Gen. Harry T Hays , 5th Louisiana 53 , 6th Louisiana 81 , 7th Louisiana 80 , 8th Louisiana 83 , 9th Louisiana 72, Gordon's Brigade , [Photograph of] Brig. Gen. John B. Gordon , Captain J. Mitchell, AAG., wounded 1 , 13th Georgia 30 , 26th Georgia 24 , 31st Georgia 23 , 38th Georgia 20 , 60th Georgia 35 , 61st Georgia 28