The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1863-05-13

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The effect on the rebels WAS prompt. Two hours
aterward their columns began moving up the
Bowling Greeu road, from down the river. Here
considerable force, including the whole ot Jack
sons corps, had been posted as camp OF ohscrra-
ton The Bowling Green road is at this point
sunken road but we soon began to detect, at vari
Gus points the rebel column moving up, the bayo-
nets glisteniug in the sun. We were about
couple of miles distant.
ruR PASSAGE At xELLY's roRD.
During Sunday and Monday, llowards corps,
the Eleventh. Slocum's the Twelfth; and Mcade's,
the Fifth, had been moving to the upper fort's of
the Rappahannock On the night of Tuesday, be
tween III p. NJ. and 2 A. NJ, Howards eutire corps
crossed the Rappahsnnock on the poutcon bridges
at Kelly's Ford, twenty seven miles above Fal-
mouth. At daylight, General Slocum's corps fol
lowed; aud during the forenoon, General Meade's
corps was thrown across. This movable column
then struck direct for uermania Ford, ON the Rap
idan river--distant twelve milestone OF the main
affluents Of the Rappahannock, into which II emp
ties at United States Ford. ....
CAPTURE or REBEL rioSEsRs.
General Meade, however, instead Of taking th:a
direction, on forling the river struck road dNcrg-
ing eastward aud made Ely's ford ON the Rapidan,
eight miles nearer than Gerrnania Ford to the em-
bcchure of that stream into the Rappahannock at
Germania Ford. A force of about one hundred
and fifty rebel pioneers was discovered building a
bridge there, who, by well executed maneuvcr,
were all captured.
CROSSING THE RArlDAS.
The celerity of movement being the chief desld-
eratum, il was resolved immediately to put the
troops over by wading affair not very easy 9,
execution for the waters of the Rapidan, oven AT
the ford came up to a mans shoulders, and the
| current is very rapid The men, however, plurged
| in, many of them stripping and carrying their
clothes and cartridge boxes on their bayonets, and
| waded over. In the meantime foot-brdgc had
tod tl,. al,ttipN
there by the rebels, and during the night the whole
remaining force was passed over, the piers being
! lighted UP by huge bonfrcs, and while this was
! going on al Germania Ford, Meade's troops were
crossing at Ely's Ford.
TIE MOVEMENTS On CuASCgLloRsviLLE.
Both columns now moved as ordered for Chan
| cellorsvilc, at the junction of the Gordonsville
| Turnpike with the Cupcppcr and Orange Court
| House plank road, communication being kept up
between the two movable columns by squadron
| of Pleasanton's cavalry, while another part OF the
| same horsemen moved ON the right flank OF sic
outer columns, to protect it from rebel cavalry
attacks.
This mancuver having uncovered tho United
States Ford, which lies between kely's Ford and
Falmouth, twelve miles from the latter Couon
CORPS which had for three days been lying Mt that
point, was passed over the Rappahanuock by n
pontpon bridge on Thursday, without any opposl-
tion or indeed, any demonstration more formidable
than brass band playing " Hail Columbia
This force also converged toward Chancellorsviliei
and, on Thursday night, the four army corps, VIZ
Towards, Stovenss, Meade's, and Couchs, were
massed at this point
That same night, General Hooker and staff
reached Chancelorsville, and established his head
quarters i'll the only house.
LEE suRPRIsED--HIs LETTER.
Lees surprise was great when he heard that the
Union army was across the river and had turned
his flank. A proof of this is the fact that when
we wero across the Rapidan, the enemy was IN
spcctng the Rappahannock. We also have docu'
mentary evidence of Lees surprise, III letter
which was found in the house ut Chancelorsyllle
written by General Lee HIMSELF TO the rebel olhcei
commanding the post at Charlottesville, dated
from Lees headquarters at AGO =. NJ. OF the day
we arrived. 1t stated, in substance, that the Genc
raj had at that moment heard that the Federal force
WAS across at Elys Ford-we had been across
forty-eipht hours.-that General Anderson, wh'
commanded at United States Ford with couple %
bripades, knew nothing of o,ir arrival, and aske!
him To come down Immediately and consult Will
the Commanding General.
IMPORT ANCE OF OCCUPYING CHANCELLoRsNILLE
1t will be seen that the position gained at Chan
, celOrsville, which Is ten miles west by south "
Fredcricks sburg, completely turns the line of rebe
, defenses on the ridges in the rear OF Fredercks
| burg and in fact there was now but one alterna
tive: The enemy must either retreat along the lint
of the Petersburg railway toward Richmond, wh
that line was vet uncut-fOr there was no othe
line of retreat there communication with GOrdons
vile being threatened by our hold on that line-0
else come out and give us battle on our own ground
Lee had been completely 0ut-generaied, and IN
strategic point of view, had suffered defeat boor
, we had fired single shot. II was IN this sense
and not in the meaning that they were actually de
stroyed that General Hooker on the night of on
; arrival at Charlottesville, proudly exclaimed
-. The rebel army is now the legitimate property o
, the Army of the Potomac" General Lee seems Z
have felt himself strong enough to pursue the lat
ter alternative, and no took prompt measures Il
carry his plan into execution.
! THE REBELS REINFORCED.
There is very little doubt that he had been heay
iy reinforced with troops from the South. W
are at the present moment lighting Charleston
, that movement had been made too soon a mont
had ssed since that attack and its result had en-.
+ boldened Ice to call up the great portion OF IN
force in South Carolina. The troops for the de
fenses of Charleston numbered 50OOO and he s0n
afford to draw ON 10000, 0fthat number. In ad
dition, Iongstreets force had been recalled trol
Southeastern Virginia. and it is the universal ties
timony of all the prisoners that their army has bee
heavily re-enforced. What that forco is it is Q
8 course impossible to say think it would be I'M
safe to estimate it at less than 10000, and ther
Y are those wing good means of knowing, who carr
il to 100000 Occupying to the interior line, Lee
e facilities for change of front we're OF course yer
great and our army had hardly gained its posltio
h when rebel column was marching up to cohirol
it.
the 23a North Carolina, belonging to Hills divl
q sion of Jackson's corps. Their testimony Shove
: that that division started from below Hamilton
< crossing in the OF Fredericksburg, at . "A.
of Friday, and that they were portions OF the sam
column which we saw moving along the Bowlln
y Green road below Fredericksburg two days beior
. | mention this circumstance a slight clue to III
y great game which was now being played betwee
Y the two able leaders Of the respective armies
Thursday night we were massed IN the vlclnlt
of Charlottesville, simply covering the approach
DISPOSITION OF THE FORCES on FRIDAY.
On Friday morning General Hooker began II
3 strategic disposition of his force As the enem
. has since been engaged with us all along this lin
= and as the disposition has since then been altered
there can be no objection to state thati formed
" triangular line of battle, resting with its wings =
spectively on the RappahannOck, between Bank
b and United States Fords, and Hars Greek, and ha
It ing its apex at Charlottesville. The day was
1t cupied with operations in skirmishing and reco
d noissances for the purpose of feeling the enemy
10 On Friday at noon, Sckles division of Meade
Ie corps was sent out on reconnaissance on Il
"a Banks Ford road, and in like manner portion
D Slocum's command was sent out about three mil
20 ON the Fredericksburg plank road. The feele
,e had twO-fold object to develop his force and al
to make typographical survey to correct eiro
ell in existing maps.
T. CHASCEILoRsyILLE. ....
" The situation of Chancellorsville is in the mi
!, die of a clearing in the woods which takes u
= form Of an irregular ellipse, about mile in eng
- and Lalf mile in width.
~ The solitary house that makes up Chancellor
n' Vile stands almost in the middle of the openin
~ The ground in the region between there and Ere
~ ericksbuTg is broken and isolated, there being
casiOnal clearings in the forests. II rises aS
"a nears Fredericksburg when it develops into bo