Evening star., 1863-05-04
WASHINGTON. D. c.. MONDAY. MAY 4. 1868

From Kelly. to United States, and thence 10
Banks Ford the commander rode through
! every portion and department OF the army,
| gave his orders and saw that no scaPeeoat ia
the shape of tardy pont0ens, inkewarrn OH
GERS. or defective ANN uni.ion, stood ready
| caparisoned to flee to the mountains o; pu olic
| opinion with excuses for antcipsting fa,lure.
Before night came, General Hooker knew
| thoroughly what was transp pifirg on 10th
sides OF the Rappahannock.
Further Particulars.
ForR MILES BELOW FREDERIcSsRURs,
| April s9-Our batteries have just opened Oh
the Rebels, but we Iail to draw their artillery
FIRE or to silence their musketry.
| SignSl lights have been observed IN nn,y
opera ton upon the bel ghts that border the Rap
! pahannock, doubtless used for the purpose o.
wernipg the Rebels of any movements OF our
army. The earthworks and lines of defence
extend far up along the Rebel side OF the river,
and at night the reflection OF many camp fires
! light up ths sky for miles. 8
Still Further intelligence
CROSSING AT KELLY 5 sFoRD-sEvERE FIGHTING
| From the best attasnable information it ap-
| pears that some important movements OF the
I army took place on Wednesday, although there
was no hshtng OF any consequence
|, The United States forces crossed the Kappa
| hammock at Kelly's Ford
! Fon,oon bridges were laid TWO or three miles
| below Erederlcksburg, and we took possession
| of these points Oh Wednesday night. .
! The enemy formed lines of battle, and plan ted
batteries on the heights OF their rear, and also
| fred few shots. in order 10 get the range.
In crossing we lost one or two officers killed,
| and from thirty TO forty men wounded
! Our men crossed first in boats, drove the
| Rebel pickeTs out of their rife pits killed and
| wounded many, and took one hundred and six
| prisoners, including several officers, one of
| whom was Lieuteuan.. Colonel Hammond. of
| the Sixth Louisiana Regiment.
! Another informant says the left wing, g, 600
! strong crossed four miles below Frederi2ks-
! burg. q little below where Franklin crossed
| previous TO the last battle. They fought twelve
! hours, and drove the enemy eight miles out of
| their rifle pits and behind their intrenchments.
| I he third brigade of the first division of the
| first corps. has suffered more than any other
| in he light
Many of these prisoners have voluntarily
| come over TO us, having thrown away their
| arms, in small squads: and begged Tor food. i.
! The right wing crossed at keily's Ford and
Sroneman's cavalry is reported to be soG2e-
where iii the rear of Fredericksburg.
The New York Evening Post of saturday
makes the following announcement:
We have received information from g. source
that we know TO ne entitled to high degree OF
credit whci. warrants the hope that General
Hooker ut off the Tntreat OF me rebel forces al
Fl, dericksburg, and that hey may be captured
or Ct siroyed
While our columns have crossed the Kappa
hammock, and others yet ramain before the city.
1t is believed that Gen. StVnrmau's cavalry
have go: hetween the rebels and Richmond, and
viii cut cff supplies and arrest retreat in that
direction.
1t is also understood that 4 strong diversion
has been made from Suffolk in the direction of
Richmond. and that il is by no means impos-
srble that the rebel capital may, before The close
Of another week, be surrounded and invested
by Union troops.
The New York Tribune OF Saturday states
that the advance Of Gen. Stoneman with 15,CG0
cavalry and artillery, across tha fords Of the
Rappahannock, Is The great feature Of the
movement Ok Gen. Hooker. This is grand
cavalry raid, intended TO 60 entirely around
he ,eLel army at FredericEs burg and destroy
anlV as 1ar as Hanover Court-IIouge. Gen.
Hooker announces the crossing of the other di-
visions an entire success. That OF Gen Stone
man will bring The tidings Of ITS own move-
ments, and, II equally successful, cannot fail
| 10 he OF immense Importance to the future
movements OF Gen Hooker. The following is
The statement alluded 10, OF the entire move
nent:
The two feints a; Port Royal and KeIIy's
Ford, made a. nearly The same time some ten
days ago. seem 70 have puzzled and deceived
lie rrb, l. completely rs 10 the proposed move
nent. Gen Hooker, however, c1rried out his
whole ptan by of Il feint on q grand
scal., and undoubtedly has ere this placed his
army oE the other side of the Rappahannock
and Eefor" Lee at all understood whether he
meant 10 cross above or below Fredericksburg.
1hree corps. the Eleventh under Major Gen
Howard; the Twelfth, under Major Gen. Slo-
cum, and the Fifth under Major Gen. Meade
marched from Falmouth on Monday. arriving
Tuesday. The rebel pickets were surprised. a
bridge thrown across the RappahannOck. and
the Eleventh Corps was over the river before
dark. The Twelfth Corps made the passage
during the night, Stoneman's Cavalry Corps
came mp and crossed at next morning, and
the Fifth Corps followed Immediately after
The cavalry instantly dashed forW ard. aiming
for the. rebel line of communication between
Fredericksburg and Richmond The Eleventh
and Twelfth Corps moved without delay on
Gernanja, and crossed Ine Rapidan at that
nint q on, "nGn nncln fyar.
The Fifth Corps passed the same river further
down al D. neither column having met any
considerable resistance
Meantime the 1st Corps, under Maj. General
Reynolds, the Sd Corps, under Major General
Sickles, and the 9th Corps. under Maj. General
Sedgwck. starting az noon on Tuesday, moved
down the RappahannOck, and in the course Of
the night the Sd and 9th Corps bridged the river
tour miles below Fredericksburg, and threw
across suf cient detachmcnts to hold the oppo-
site heads Of the bridges. The lst corps sue
ceeded in The same attempt two miles further
down, being opposed by rebel sharpshooters in
| rife pits, but silencing them with artillery.
When these two movements had been &C.
complished, the three corps that crossed at
Kellys Ford being already on the march for
the RapidsD, the I'd Corps, under Gen. Couch,
seized Banks Ford, six miles above Freder-
road between there and United States Ford,
ten miles beyond, and without crossing in
force lay in position for movement the mo-
ment they were needed.
During wednesday, then, the 1Ith, 18th and
5th Corps reached and crossed the Rapidan,
the I'd occupied Banks Ford, the ID and 9th
lay four miles below fredericksburg, and the
1st six miles below, threatening movement
ON that flank also. The enemy might well be
at loss to know on which side the blow was
about to fall. HIS pickets had been surro unded
and capturedat all points, and the whole oper-
alton had been silently and suddenly effected,
and the real movement skilfully disguised.
On Thursday morning the scene changes.
The movement down the river was a feint
Late Wednesday night the Third Corps, which
was at the Four mile bridge, marched straight
up the river again and Joined the Second at |
Banks Ford and early Thursday morning
the First Corps followed in its path. and also |
halted at the same ford. So that on Thursday |
morning there are three corps across the Rap |
idan, marching straight on the rear Of Fred |
ericksburg by way of Chanceliorsville, a |
village twelve miles distant from that city, |
and three more at Banks Ford, with the road |
to u. States ford open, and communication es-
iablished with the advancing columns-all six
in position to move directly upon the Rebel |
line OF Communication, and the Seventh Corps |
still with a formidable display of force threat |
ening to cross below and assail the other flank |
oft the eneiny. s-t u2