New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-01-30
NEW YORK DAILY TRIBUNE FRIDAY JANUARY 30, 1863.

re1tOD; that, as soon any coDslaergb force bad
crossed at shat place, would rapidly ma.s ny amy
during the night and throw it. upOn any force Cf tbe
enemy which attempted to march IN the direction oi
WaTentoo. he whole Vi the cavalry under Brig.
Gene. Buford AID Bayard was pushed con.iderably
TO be rgit of Gen. sigel, in the direction OF Fay
letteyIlo and Sulphur Springs, 10 watch the move
aeuls Of the enemy in that direction nod 70 picEe.
the river es far mp az possible. Gen. Sigel was or
dered, if any force OF the enemy attempted 90
cross below Sulphur Springs, TO marca at once
against it an. 10 notify lie, as | was deter
mined 10 resist the passage OF tho river
nc any poiot below toe springs. Copies OF my dis
pate es the General-in-CbIei, and oil his Replies,
The dis atcleB from Gen. Sise, and Iny orders q
him given during the 10Th, 2lst, nd, ana I'D o.
August, are appended, which snow completely the
condition Of tungs, my understanding OF The
movements of the enemy, aud tho dispositions
which l made and proposed 10 make IN rsiatiou
70 them. Finding that the continued movement o.
the enemy TO my right, while heavy masses OF DIS
force eLlll coufoIled me al Rappahann0ck STATION,
would within day, IT allowed TO Continue
either render my position on the Raopabannock
wholly untcnable or force De ~ gave battle 10 the
enemy in my front and Oh my right, detetmlneo,
on Tho afternoon Of the 22d to mass my whole force,
to the appahannock by the brJges ana iorn5
near Rappahannock Station, and by heHys foru
below aud 10 tai Oh tho flank and rear oil The long
column of the euemy which WIS passing up the
river toward our right. | accordingly made The
necessary orders tue night OF tho "a OF August
The attempt would have been dangerous, but no
recourse was left NE except 10 make ms attscA, 10
retire Warrenton Junction, aud abandon the ilne
OF lho RAppahaDDock, or TO retire II The direction
Of Fredericksburg and abandon the Orange and
Alexandria Railroad ana the dlrect approaches to
Washington Guy. j determined, therefore, 10 hsz-
ard tie result aud to iGil iurlously With ny whole
army upon the flank and rear OF the enemy Dur-
ing the night oil tie I'D heavy rain set H. which,
Jeiore day dawned On the 3d. had caused the Ilvei
10 r.e Elk or eight iest carried away ali our bridges
aud DE troye ali the lords the lser. 10 recrOss
the Rappahsnnoca anu To make the attack IN pro-
posed was no longer practcable but the rise M tne
riyer which bad prevented this movement beLeVed
would also prevent tue retreat OF maj portion Oh
the enemy which had crossed AT Sulphur Springs
and atsrloo Bridge according 10 the reports which
LAd been sent ,ne by Gen. siSe..
Early on the morning OF the 23d, therefore
massed my whole force in tho neighborbood of
Rappahannock station. with the purpose OF falling
mon that vo.tion VI the enemy which had crossed
above me- and was then supposed ~ be between
Salohur SpIiogs, Waterloo Bridge, and the town oi
Warrenton. As the river war too high 10 Dc
Gro. sed aud was likely 10 remain 20 for 1T least
tbir,v.six hours. ! had no fear that the enemy
would be- able to interpO>e between me aud trel-
crlcksburg or to make Hny attempt upon the Orange
and Alexandra Railroad north Of the Rappsnnn-
mock. | directed Gen. Sigcl 10 march with ii6
whole corps upon Sulphur Springs, Supported ~
Reuo's corps aud Banksr corpe, To fall upon any
body Of tho enemy that be night encounter, ana 10
mum forward .loug the river 10 Waterloo Bridge.
/ dirAried Gen NJ Dowel 20 move at the same
time directly upon the town OF Narrent0n. 90 that
from that point he would he able, II necessary, 10
unite with Gen. Sigel on the road rom that place
"a S,loLur SPRINGS, or t. Waterloo Bridge. 10 the
corps of Gen. Mcdowell | had attached tie Penn
,ylyupia Reserves under Brgadier-tren. Reynolds,
the first of the Army Of the Potomac which mad
Joined my command.
On the night oftne I'D Of Angus, q small cavalry
force OF the enemy, crOssing at Waterloo Bridge and
,bssinl through WaIreuton, Lad made a raid upon
our trains at Catletrs Station, aud bad Destroyed
foar or live wagons 10 all belonging 10 The tram OF
nv own hendQuar AT the limo this cavalry
force atjscksI AT Cadets, aud IL certainly was not
more than thr,e hundred strong, oar whole army
trains were parked mt that placs aud were guardei
by lot less than fifteen hundred infantry and five
COMPANIES OF cavalry. The scccees Of tins small cav
airy par Of the enemy, although very trlting and
stteuced with but ltle damage, was moet Disgrace
full 20 tue force which had been e'I IA charge Of the
traus. Gen. Sigei moved as ordered, slowly up tue
IN tie direction Of sulphur Springs
on the 23l ana hrst encountered force of the
my near the point where email creek
called Great Run" puts ito the Rnp-
pahaunock, about two miles below tho Sui
phur Springs. Tue enemy was driven across the
stream ont destroyed tue bridges. Tue heavy rains
wal not then forbade, that the night ot the ~
aud part If the morning Of The Nth were spent ny
Gen. Sigcl in rebuilding tie bridges. Ga the night
vi tn, 81 aso, the advance Of hcDoweiPs
corps occupied WarrentOn, a cavalry force Of the
enemy having retrcated from there "A few hours be-
fore. On sue morning oil the 2ith, Gen. Sigel SUP
po-.ed b. Gems. Reno and Banks, crossed Great
i.un aud occupied tho sulphur Springs, under a
heavy fire of artillery from batteries which the
enemy had established all along the south side Of the
Rappahannock. The bridge wbich had been built a.
Sulnbur Sdriugs. and uron which the forces of the
enemy which had crossed day or two previOl
escaped from the advance OF Gel. SRel, was de.
stroyed, and Gen. Sigel puehed forward, with the
force supporting Lin, in the direction OF Waterloo
Is idee.
Meantime, had dispatched Brig Gen. Bnford
with heavy cavalry force ifom Warenton on the
morning Of The 24Ih, to reconuoi.,r the country III
the vicinity OF Waterloo Br dge and 10 interrupt the
passage vi the river AZ that point "a TAR AS possible
IL was then believed by Gen. Slgel, who reported
TO me- that u considerable force u the enemy wac
on the north side of The Rappanannock, und was re-
rug from his advance In tue direction Of Wa'erlco
Brio e. BY noon Of the 2ith Gen. Bufcrd reported
10 ne .ha tie had occupied Waterloo Bid,c, wi "A
ou finding auy fvrco OF tho enemy, aud he did not
believe thgi there was any force between that place
aud Sui, hur Springs. directed him 10 destroy the
bridge at Waterloo, ard to maintain lis position un
nj rhe arrival OF The advance oil Gen. Slgel. AT
once informed Con. Sigel OF these facts and directed
nim to push forward bis advance 10 Waterloo. Mill
ROY Is Brigade const ung the al vance oil his ccrps
reached Waterloo late ia The afternoon OF tue 2.h
On . at afternoon the whole fore OF the eucmy WAS
stretched along the line Of the river, from the Rap
station 20 Waterloo Bridge, with his ecu
ter, aud tnus his main body, IN the vicinity Of
sui pLur Springs. During the day OF the 9th large
detachment OF the es,my, numbering thirty ak req
menis Of infantry, with the usual number OF bat
teries OF artillery ard considerable cavalry
liz N
recri0n OF RectorLown. 1uey could be plainly seem
from our sisral stations, established higa 70 TITO
along The Eappahannock; aId their movements aud
force were reported to from time to tine by Col.