Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1863-05-15
Why Hooker Retreated-A Clear and Reliable
Account.
WASHINGTON, MAY 7.

Why Hooker Retreated-A Clear and Reliable
Account
WASHINGTON, May 7.
The following is an account of occurrences
at Fredericksburg from Tuesday morning 10
/ Thursday morning. The storm that com
meneed Monday evening, and continued
throughout Tuesday, was at its hight yester-
day, evidently warned Gen. Hooker, whose
movement was necessarily made with only
eight days supplies carried by the men, which
were then nearly consumed, and without
trains, of imminent danger that, unless he
promptly sought his camps, the elements
would put stop to his operations, railroad
communication with Acquia Greek having
/ been destroyed by floods for twelve hours, at
Brooks Station, before be determined to re-
cregf the river. In the course of all the fight
| ing. throughout Saturday, Sunday, Monday
and Tuesday, the enemy had not ventured a
general engagement with our whole army, only
a portion of which was in action at any one
time. and on no occasion with as great loss as
was inflicted upon the rebels. Nevertheless,
as it became evident that this greatest storm
of the season would surely cut off his supplies
Of all descriptions, if he remained on the south
side Of the river awaiting opportunity to
induce the enemy to risk a general engage
ment, evidently left Hooker the only aterna-
tive OF returning to where his supplies could
readily reach him.
Yesterday General Milroy captured rebel
officer on whose person was found fresh dis
patch from Gen. Lee, stating that the rebel
loss had been fearful. The destruction of rail
road and turnpike bridges south of Fredericks-
burg, by Stonemans forces, has placed the
rebel army in a worse position for supplies
than own is at this time. as Hooker is now
where his communications are re-established.
Gen. Hooker brought off with him an aggre-
gate of $500 prisoners.
The following is an account of General
Sedgwicks brief occupation of Fredericks-
burg: Gen. Sedgwick crossed his force on
Saturday night last, about three E1iIes below
Fredericksburg, and beld them massed on the
plain in his immediate front until daylight
Sunday morning, when he took possession of
the town with little resistance. Throughout
Sunday forenoon. until II A. NJ, the raging
of battle in which Hooker was engaged seem
ed 10 occupy the attention of all under Sedg
wick, and just iiat fight ceased, portion
of his force advanced against the enemy's
artillery fire from them Here it was that
SedgwicE took the famous Washington bat
tery, which he got off safely to the other side
of the river
He next took the rest of the works to the
right by flank movement-Gibbons divis-
ion, which had crossed Immediately in front
of the town, aiding him in storming those
works directly in the rear of the town.
Having secured the works and the force OF
the enemy that could not escape, Sedgwick
soon massed his main force in the direction of
Charlottesville, and remained for the night
formed 10 line of battle with his right resting
at point about six or seven miles from
Hooker's
/ Before daylight on Monday morning, the
enemy came back and reoccupied the works
which Sedgwick had left, ard upon his front
their total force there, aggregated, being appa
rently 60 900 or 10000 men. Thus they were
not only on his left flank and front, but in the
works between him and Gibbons.
Everything was comparatively quiet until
about o'clock P. NJ, when the rebels at
tackled from the left, ard were replied to by
single section Of artillery, immediately in front
of where they attacked. AS their infantry
moved up, SedgWick's artillery opened from
all quarters, but could not check their slow
and steady advance, under which Sedgwick
gradually fell back mile and half, to Banks
Ford.
This was the main engagement of Monday
afternoon, and lasted till P. NJ. In it our
loss was about 1000 killed, wounded and
missing, making the total loss of Sedgwick's
and Gibbons commands, including those lost
on the previous day, about 5000. On that
night Sedgwick recrossed his forces and Glib
bons' to the north bank of the Rappahan-
mock.
1t is evident that the Coutederates played
here the old game of massing their troops in
crushing force on exposed points, by a rapid
change 10 position, and that after throwing
themselves with all their nigh! on Hooker,
they with great celerity moved off to repeat
the blow upon Sedgwick's detached force.
tits stated that Gen. Averill, who command
ed the cavalry column sent in the direction of
Culpepper and Gordonsville, has been relieved
from command by General Hooker for not
carrying out orders to push on to Gordonsville,
and, after destroying everything that would be
useful to the rebels, then to return and rejoin
our right wing.