Salem Church, Part VIII: After retaking Marye’s Heights, Early tried to determine the position of the Union force in front of him. Brig. Gen. William Smith’s brigade of Virginians tested the left flank of Howe’s Union division and fell back after a skirmish there. After failing to break through the Union flank, Early tried to coordinate an attack with McLaws on the other end of the Confederate line. 

Having advanced to Marye’s Heights, Early needed to try and unite with McLaws’ force at Salem Church but was unsure of the exact Union force in his front. Early sent Brig. Gen. William Smith’s brigade—the 13^th, 49^th, 52^nd, and 58^th Virginia—to test the Union left held by Brig. Gen. Thomas Neill’s brigade of Howe’s Division. This resulted in a skirmish that forced the Confederate brigade back through heavy artillery fire. 200 soldiers of the 58^th Virginia were captured when they sought shelter in a structure and then were surrounded by the members of the 7^th Maine and 49^th New York.

Having tested the Union line and faced strong Federal resistance, Early sent a report to McLaws at Salem Church to coordinate their attack against the Union line. McLaws hesitated to attack, however, with most of Sedgwick’s force in his front. He preferred if Early began the attack to put Sedgwick’s attention to the east before McLaws attacked. McLaws also learned that Lee was sending more reinforcements under Anderson, and he wanted to wait until these additional troops were up before attacking the VI Corps. 

Furgurson, Ernest B. Chancellorsville, 1863: The Souls of the Brave. New York: Vintage Books, 1992.

Gallagher, Gary W. The Battle of Chancellorsville. National Park Civil War Series. Eastern National, 2007.

Parsons, Philip W. The Union Sixth Army Corps in the Chancellorsville Campaign: A Study of the Engagements of Second Fredericksburg, Salem Church and Banks’s Ford, May 3-4, 1863. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc., 2006.

Sutherland, Daniel E. Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville: The Dare Mark Campaign. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1998.