The second battle of Chancellorsville

As May 2 dawned, Lee decided to hold his front with only 17,000 men, bluffing that he had more, as Jackson took his 28,000 men on the path that circled the Union troops. There were 73,000 federals, but alarms from the few who sensed something was up were discounted by Hooker.

Jackson's stated goal was "always to mystify, mislead and surprise the enemy." At dusk on May 2, after a day's march, he achieved it. At 5:30 p.m., he drove into unsuspecting Union divisions composed of recent German immigrants, forever after known as "the Flying Dutchmen."

Only federal artillery saved the US Army from complete rout. Frustrated, Jackson tried night reconnaissance, and the rest is - well, the rest is American history.

Jackson, badly wounded in the dark by his own men, had to have his left arm amputated. Lee anguished, "General Jackson has lost his left arm, but I have lost my right."

The main section of Virginia Route 3 today marks where fighting went on for several more days, savagely but inconclusively. Two Union generals and one Confederate general were killed during battle. Jackson died about a week later.

The National Park Service owns a "Jackson Shrine," complete with his deathbed, by the north-south railroad line from Washington to Richmond some 10 miles away. The tracks are new; the railroad bed is the same as it was in 1863, the main axis of the Civil War. The clocks in the shrine have been stopped at the hour he died on May 10.

Nearer Chancellorsville, Jackson's arm is buried at Ellwood, a farm once owned by his chaplain's family. Today the rust-red farmhouse is ensconced between a set of stately sycamores and Kentucky coffee trees.

The Park Service recently acquired Ellwood, another of its small victories. But many wonder if such wins are enough.

The preservation problem, say activists, is simple: The Civil War was fought on front porches, in backyards, and across farms and towns. Most land on which battles occurred was privately owned and can be used - or sold - as the owners desire.

The situation in Deep South states is worse, as sites of old battles and skirmishes are rapidly becoming malls. At Chancellorsville, many enthusiastic preservationists want a last stand to save for visitors its timelessness and sense of the past.

There is one other reason, preservationists say, to save the battlefield - its hidden historic significance.

Many historians consider the battle to be Lee's finest victory. Having won, Lee headed north toward Pennsylvania and began to think his army was invincible - hence the (otherwise incredible) order for Pickett's charge two months later on July 3, 1863.

In short, without Chancellorsville, there would have been no Gettysburg.

What impression will visitors to the battle field have in 15, 20, or 25 years? No one knows, but preservationists hope the experience will be as close to what it was like in 1863 as is possible today.

So far, the outcome doesn't look hopeful: At nearby Salem Church, where the last fighting in the battle took place, motels, gas stations, and malls inch toward the wilderness, and billboards inherit the earth.

Maybe the pessimists among the preservationists are right: See this hallowed ground while there is still time.

The Chancellorsville Battlefield Visitor Center (540-786-2880) is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Periodic talks are given by National Park Service staff, and a cassette is available for a car tour of the battlefield.

Ellwood (540-371-0802) is open on weekends from Memorial Day to Columbus Day. The Jackson Shrine at Guinea Station, Va., is usually open Friday to Tuesday, but currently closed for roadwork (540-633-6076).

Special events and tours will take place in Fredericksburg May 27-31 (www.nps.gov/frsp/special.htm). For information and reservations, call 1-800-654-4118. On May 29, 15,000-plus candles will be lighted at the National Cemetery, one for each soldier buried there (www.nps.gov/ luminari.htm).

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