The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1863-05-21
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence ofthe Advertiser.
w n Ma. 1

Correspondence the Advertiser.
WASHINGTON, D. c., May IL, 1868.
Editor Aduertistr:-Yo Gu have, ,roba.
bly,, had reports of the movements of the
Army of the Potomac since the lst inst
ere this. But as the Copperhead sheets
have tried to discredit Geo Hooker S
operations, for speculative purposes, it
may be we'll to explain matters some,
especially as Gen. Hooker is not the
author of pom pous kilograms for his own
benefit, or the benefit of the rebels.
Gen. Hookcr's object was to unearth
the rebels and make them fight in the
open field, therefore, by consumate skill
hs deceived the rebels as to his real in.
tcntions, while he effected crossing of
the RappalIanuvck abo.c Fredericksburg
by his main army. He had previously
sent a strong cavalry force to the rear of
the rebels to cut off their railroad COM
munications, which proved entirely sue
ccssfu', but one division of this cavalry
did not make the time expected of them,
consequently Gen. Hooker did not have
their assistance in the lac battles on the
Rappahannock. Just before our army
moved across the river the rebels had
masscd all their available troops, even
bringing the last regiment from Rich
mond, at Fredericksburg, intending to
move strong division into the Shenan-
doah Valley by the way of Culpepper-
consequently they had 100000 men to
oppose our army. This was more than
Gen. Hooker bargained for, but cur
troops were elatcd with their success in
advancing, and fought bravely and with
sk'lful gcncralship were having the best
of every days battle, and taking many
prisoners. Gen. Sedgwick, who advan-
ced with our left wing, had skilfully
maneuvcrcd his army out of tight place
and joined our right wing, when it com
menced raining, as it it had not raincd
for twenty.four months before, and the
Rappahannock being a mountain stream,
rose very fast, as it does sometimes, fill
ing its banks with strong current
which made pontoon bridges very unsafe.
As Gen. Hooker did not want his own
communication cut off, although ne had
done that same for the rebel army, he
determined last Tuesday night to recross
the river. This was gcdsend for sccesh
sympathizers, and they cried "Hooker
is defeated" But Gen. Hooker did not
agree to control the weather. His army
is perfectly satisfied he can control the
rebels, and we have had the privilege of
seeing thousands of secesh prisoners that
were taken by our Army of the Potomac
a sight We never saw before
The rebel loss in killed and wounded
is about double our loss, our men having
advantage of position except when Gen
Scdgwick was cutting his way through
the rebels.
That "our nrmy is in excellent condi.
tom is verify, and not newspaper
talk, have the best testimony from the
soldiers who fought in the late battles
They think there is nobody like General
Hooker to ia Ike care of our army, and all
hands are ready to move again when he
gives the word. | will say here, what
would be contraband if going to a paper
near here, that the order was passed to
prepare eight days provisions before our
army had fairly reached this side of the
Rappahannock. LoRzo.
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