The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1863-05-15
Ms Nine Days Campaign
Of Hooker 5 Army.
ne Corrsspondenee ef Mr.. 9. n.
--IL CaFRenIeI.

= - - - - = - - - ~--N - - :
f Carpenter
HnkDoUAnrEns, ARMY or THE PoTO.l
MAC, May I, 1883
ehs Grand Army Of the Potomac "a
pncs more N its camps, safe from dan
ger The secoDd experiment for the
oFssthroW Of the rebellion has been at.
tempted on the bluffs Of the Rappahan-
nook, and failed. In our shattered coli
umns, our decimated batteries, our scat
tired trains and the words Of our crowd.
q ahcspIlals we read the painful history
~ thls dIsaster--a history unprecedent-
"a In .ils character and humiliatiDg to the
aatlon.
a Revlew or the Campaigu.
A brief sketch Of the principal fea>
snres connected with this remarkable
campaign, although necessarily meagre,
can not ct this time prove uninteresting.
! shall attempt the narration, however,
conscious Of my inability to do the sub
jest justice
. The Advance
Waa commenced on the morning Of tie
9Th Of April. The troops were elated.
Every countenance beamed with en- hu.
siasrn and confidence, and the army
Stresmed out from its camps among the
bills, glorious In the pride Of its power,
6ushed with the prospect of victory
The Eleventh and Twelfth corps went
6rst, and crossed Kclly's Ford without
opposition. The Fifth followed imme.
diately after, crossed at the same place,
wheeled to the left, and marching down
along the narrow strip Of land between
the Rapidan and the Rappahannock,
crossed the former OF Ely's Ford and
Joined the Eleventh and Twelfth at
Charlottesville, nine miles from Fred.
eFicksburg. Every one was aStonished
at the rspidityOf the movement, and the
failure Of the enemy to resist us. It Is
irnei they gave us little 6ght at Ger.
man Mills, but q volley from our infantry
was answered by the white flag Of sur.
render, and one Of the strongest posi-.
tions upon our line Of March fell into
our hands. with the loss Of but Q single
man. General Hooker, with bis staff,
had followed, and was soon OF the front.
TIE advance Of the Fifth corps pushed
on down the turnpike towards the city,
bat was repulsed from q strong position
held by the enemy at the junction Of the
turnpike with the plank road, six miles
from Fredericksburg, and fell back upon
ihe main column, while the Second and
Third corps hurried up from the United
6tateS ford to join in the battle expected
on the morrow. That night General
Hookers ordercomplimentipg the troops
npon their achievements was received
and read to the army. Cheers and shouts
rang through the forests, and swelled up
peal after peal. from the thousands Of
camp 6res In the fields. The bands
Joined IN the chorus Of rejoicing, the
troops clustered in their tents and talked
exultingly Of their exploits and thsil
hopes for the future, and the officers wan
dered from camp to camp, proud ol
their deeds and the history to be read
thereeiter
., Friday Afternoon
our forces were again thrown out on the
turnpike toward Fredericksburg. The
enemy met rs 6ercely, repulsed Us and
drove us back to the Chancellor House,
whore Hampton's Pennsylvania battery
opened upon them and forced them to
give mp pursuit: Results were. unim-
pOrtaut. General Hooker had q strong
position. The enemy must fight him in
Il. The night passed quietly.
On Saturday the Struggle was
Recommended.
The engagement opened on the turn.
pike. ragged for short time, ceased, and
It.opened on the plank road to the right.
Gesrys division went down into the
woods, drove the rebels from the thicketS
with great slaughter, and again there
vas lull. Then battery opened fur
ther to the right from behind the woods
sbelled us for half an hour, evidently to
distract oar attention from the principal
movement OF their forces, who could be
seen through gap in the forests still
further round towards the west, hurry
log along to the plank road and massing
on our extreme right. At this time oui
line extended along this road, with the
Eleventh corps upon the right, and sup
ported by the Third and Twelfth. Sud
denly The musketry opened terri6cally
upon our flank, and the artillery joining
in the roar, deafeued the army, while
the smoke from the guns and. the burn
ing woods drifted back in dense volumes
binding the eyes and shutting in th'
engagement from view. The Eleventh
corps broke, fell back in most alarming
confusion, with artillery, horsemen aut
infsatry rushiug pell. .mell upon the re
serves; but the Third aud Twelfth corp
speedily checked pursuit and closed thu
fight. bravely holding the ground s.
far the operations, aside from the behav
Tor Of the Eleventh corps, were not re
gsrded e. Of much Importance. Tn
great battle was yet to come, and tn
engagements Of Friday and Saturda
were looked upon as mere skirmishe
compared with the struggle expected t
ensus on, the morrow. All nigh. Oh
troops we're at work throwing up il
trenchmentS and Strengthening their pc
sidon, and on Sunday morning oil fe
confident that the decisive blow was
be struck.
Sunday Morning