Joseph Hooker to W. M. L. Candler, May 1, 1863

May 1, 1863—2 o’clock. [General BUTTERFIELD :]

From character of information have suspended attack. The enemy may attack me—I will try it. Tell Sedgwick to keep asharp lookout, and attack if can succeed.

JOSEPH HOOKER, Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE Potomac, May 1, 13863—4 p. m. Major-General HOOKER:

Your dispatch received. Copy announcing suspension of your attack sent Sedgwick. He and Reynolds remain quiet. They consider that to attack before you have accomplished some success, in view of the strong position and numbers in their front, might fail to dislodge the enemy and render them unserviceable at the proper time. They are anxious to hear from you. Six guns Horse Artiiiory sent to Banks’ Ford this a. m., a8 directed. The balance of Graham’s just ordered there, Tho enemy are sending nothing from here now t. their left. Iallow i. thing to goto Washington and say nothing myself. Is. O. O. K

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE Potomac, May 1, 1863—2.05 p. m. Major-General HOOKER:

I have two deserters just from Hays’ brigade, Early’s division. They report A. P. Hillleft here this morning to move up to our right. Hood’s division arrived yesterday from Richmond. The deserter was from New York State originally; an intelligent man. He said he knew it was Hood’s division, for he asked the troops as they passed along. He reports D. H. Hill, Early, and Trimble in front of Sedgwick. Anderson, McLaws, A. P. Hill, and Hood would, therefore, be in your front.

DANL. BUTTERFIELD, Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE Potomac, May 1, 1863—2.30 p. m. Major-General HooKER, Chaneellorsville, Va. :

The column seen passing here was first discovered at 8.30 o’clock, and ceased to pass at 11.30. The signal man thinks two corps. From appearances, portion of the column diverged to the left before reaching the Orange Plank road.

DANL. BUTTERFIELD, Major-General.

MAY 1, 1863—2.45 p. m. General HOOKER:

All passage of troops from enemy’s right to his left ceased about 11.30 o’clock. Nothing apparently going now except small detachments. Gibbon’s picket line on right reports withdrawal of enemy’s pickets and vedettes out of sight of river.

UNITED STATES FORD, May 1, 1863—2,25 p. m. General BUTTERFIELD:

General Hooker directs that you send Graham’s Horse Artillery, all of it, twenty-two guns, to report to me at Banks’ Ford ; also two batteries Napoleons, or, if theré are none, two other field batteries, 3-inch, if General Sedgwick can spare them. The latter can be replaced by Hart’s and Kusserow’s batteries, now with Colonel Warner on Sedgwick’s extreme left. They can be replaced by Blucher’s 20-pounders, now at the camp of the Artillery Reserve.

Please acknowledge to me here, with substance of this, that I may

be sure all is right. HENRY J. HUNT, Brigadier-General. UNITED STATES FORD, May 1, 1863—3.02 p. m. General BUTTERFIELD : Have not yet received your answer; linedown. 1 goto Banks’ Ford. Will await Graham there. General Hooker requires me to hold that ford against the enemy’s attempt to cross. I shall expect the batteries

there. I will be at the whitehouse. Will you direct the quartermaster

to send a mule load of forage, at least, for he) Ronee of myself, staff, d orderlies? Answer me at Banks’ Ford.

Se anne HENRY J. HUNT.

CIROCULAR.] CHANCELLORSVILLE, V. A., May 1, 1863—4.20 p. m.

Commanders of the Second, Fifth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Corps will at once have their commands established on the lines assigned them last night, and have them put in condition of defense without a moment/s delay. The major-general commanding trusts that a suspension in the attack to-day will embolden the enemy to attack him. All the trains belonging to the commands will be withdrawn within the lines and parked in the rear.

By command of Major-General Hooker: