[9]
John Esten Cooke says in his ‘Military Biography of Stonewall Jackson’: ‘The column commenced to move at daybreak,’ and Dr. Dabney states that General Jackson reached the furnace at the lead of his column, ‘a little after sunrise.’
These extracts from the Official Reports, and statements of General Jackson's biographers, suffice to show that the movements of the Second Corps, on May 2nd, began much earlier than the statement of Allan and Hotchkiss would indicate, and, if so, before their reported interview between Lee and Jackson could have occurred. There must, therefore, have been an understanding between Lee and Jackson that Hooker's right flank was to be turned by Jackson, and marching orders must have been given the night before for an early start on the morning of Saturday, May 2nd.
Hotchkiss representation that there was time for him after daylight to go to the furnace, arouse Col. Welford, get information about the roads, return to General Jackson and make his report, and then for Generals Lee and Jackson to confer, and reach a conclusion before marching orders were issued to the Second Corps, is at variance with substantiated facts, even without what follows:
