New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-12-19
FROM TIE ARMY OF TIKI POTOMAC
A Reyiew OF the Lnfc Movements on thc
Rapidnn-A Full and Authentic Ac.
eouns from nm Eye. witness and Omcini
From Our Special Correspondent.
| Ur,porlsrERs 3p DIVISION, tTa CoRrs
Army oY IBx PoroxAC Dec. IL, 1901

UE,pouLsrERs ~ DIVISION tTH CORPS
Army oP IsE PoronAc, Dec. IL, leoJ
The various idle reports and severe Criticisms
INDUCED In by disappointed public, in relation to the
recent campaign in Virginia and tie unjust comments
Of portion Of the press upon the conduct OF Major
General g. X. Warren. induced me TO gather the full
and correct particulars from eycwtnesses Of the whole
movement. Having accompanied the 81 Division OF
the 9Th Corps commanded ny General ii. d. Terry and
which vas temporarily detached to accompany tie 2d
Corps can vouch for much contained in this state
rnent which came under my personal observation
InAsmuch az the % Corp played the most important
part IN the movements OF this campa en-. and as fuller
and more authentic accounts have been Published Of the
doing. 81 the various other corps shall oOnne myself
chiefly 10 the % Corps.
THE ADVANCE.
AtG90 on the morning of Noy. - Clhankssiving) the
2d Corps Mai Gen. g. h. Werren. len iis camp on
Mountain Run and marched 10 Geruanna Ford with a
battery ~ four {tLch guns ard one battery o Elk "
FOUNDER Parrot guns rom tho rs',r,o .rt.nsIy VIA
eo s sss do, of capt hs fasncer crp. Tho
head OF this column reached the steep embankments 81
Germabns Ford at 80 d. IN Here thick growth oi
Almost imponotrsb woods wes met. oli Considerable
time was occupied IN telling trees, cutting out roads,
and placing tho artillery In position. All this was dol
with The greatest rap.dy and IN tie 1ce OF tho enc
uys pckcts on the opposite bank Of tho knpdaD. Hy
great cIcriions all the necessary pIe4inunares wre
completed by II O'Clock tho men working with u
ygor which Indicated that their lcarts were .ns
With hope Of success.
Mai Cen Meade arrived At III, snciure, snd ordered
cessation ~ further operations TIL Cen lEeuch. ID
Corps. yas heard irofn.
CROSSING THE HArIpAS.
At l,3O order. were received by General Warren
g. move forward Upon the advance guard OF TIE 2i
Corp. making its appearance the Rebel cavalry pcket
fed IA hot haste and Capt. Schwartz with bis cavalry
at once forded the river and marched some three miles
follow ed by Gen Cadwels Is, Division 81 Corps. two
brigades of which fordcd the stream ms force VAS
crossed IA this way simply T. guard against any sudden
surprise movements IL the enemy well as 10 protect
the crossing OF the main body OF our iroos Inc ioa
ras difoult one and many 81 tie troops were
Up their nccks in ley water NJ that their ratiohs were
saturated and required almost superhnnan eneFtion-
10 keep their Huskets from being Immersed The nftu
lery and nmbulances experienced great difficulty In
crossing the ford.
BLUSDgR AND DELAY.
Can't Nendell Of the Engineer Corps, who had
charge ofihe lay ing Of the pontoon bridge WAS delayed
over All hour by finding that there not sufficient
number Of b0sta TO span the stream. lie hnaIi sue
ceedcd Ia constructing temporary trcste when an
s~e,sa svsry pufG boat, 10 meet any
Cured both II Cglpepyer and Gernanna FoTds and
caused dangerous delays. Capt: Mendeh was not re-
sponsbe for this carecssnes and Ia justice 10 him. IL IL
but fair TO say that to bis industry ard ingenuity tho
safe crossing Of our entire army Was indebted.
MOVEMENTS or TIE TROOPS.
Az soon as the infantry and artillery crossed the
~ miles and cncampcd for the night on Flat Run. At
da break on the 18th the 2d CORPS moved out on the
plank road and marched 20 tho old macadam1ed turn
pike. From this point the ID Corpt with Gen Terry
division q the 9th Corps. marched rapidly toward Old
Verdiersyilc which the point 10 Do reached. IL
was expected that the ID Corps. Gen french. would
ior tle u al RObertsons Tavern but owing 10 Gen.
French having lost the road this part Of the programme
wa not carried Gen. Hayes led the advance with
his division. followed by Cen webb then Gen. u Gnd
met a large body of Rebels and drove them back. Gen
webb happened be ut hand, ard at once depoy
ing his forces to tie right Of The road drove them back
In confusion toward Raccoop Ford. lt was IN TINS
spirited encounter that Lieut. Col. Hesser gallant
officer fell mortally wounded. About this time. ll;So
A. M. skirmishers ascerained that ire Rebels were
concealed In the thick woods and were sbrcwdly ex-
tending their skrhers ~ such al extent that nearly
all OF lie "a Corps was required to check them.
At this time Rebel desortcrs aud prisoners Informed
Gen Warren that Johnstons Rebel division was be-
tween him and Rsccoon Ford and that he confront.
ing Rhodcss Rebel diysion.
Gen. Meade was ut once informed OF THIS, and $50
that Gen, Warren had received no tdings from Gen.
French ON his right and Gen. Sykes his left. Gen:
Warren notified Gen. Meade that he was ready ana
wiling to begin the attack If he desired BY advancing
the center, which weak ~ To DO In critical
condition and wholly unfit to cope with the superior
forces OF the enemy. IL must DO borne In mind wat
both wings Of army then separated four or hve
miles from Gen. Warren. Gen Meade instructed Gen:
Warren TO wait until the right and left were heard
nom Soon after the Of artillery was hesrd. shu
lust then Of tho position OK tho ieis wing
The rapid cannonading came from Cen uI.ss cav.
sry division. who were engaging the enemy brsky on
the plank road. Heavy firing heard shortly nites
Mt Morton's Ford, where Gen. Clusters cavalry were
diminishing with Stuarts cavalry during AL thls to
ub,ie Cen Warren WINS awaiting further orders and
information, the enemy arinlly changing their
lines cndeavor.ng to turn Gen. Warrens right Hank
While msneuv,ring forces, 1t Col Josseyn. com
nanding the 18th Massachusetts Volunteers was seri
ousy wounded and fell into the hnnds OF the enemy
TLis Determination on the part Of the Rebels induced
Gen Warren to make ielnt movement as though aDoit
n. A. LAM I'M
was NECESSARY To al yance his line of skrmisncrs lie
was entirely successful in de!udng the willy foe, for IN
the language of the FF. VS.. he fought right smart
along the front OF the I'd Corps Col CARROTS brigade
manner that cannot be too highly praised. Col Car
roll evinced considerable skin by drawing the enemy to
his line Of battle down the turnpike, where large num-
besS u aQsdsas brigsde belonging " EaIys @i~'9D'