The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-05-09
The Crossing OF the Rappahan
mock. @

how Hooker managed to cross the Kappa
hammock, we publish below the N. Y. Irib-
une correspondents account, which is the
30th, as follows: fa reside -l.s-
On Monday morning, at o'clock, the
18th, Maj. Gen. Howard's corps; the 18th,
Maj.-Gen. Slocum's s, and the 5th, Mai. Gen.
Meade's corps, struck their tents and
marched westward on the several roads
leading to Kelly's Ford, distant from the
line of the Acquia Creek and Fredericks-
burg Railroad about Is miles,. The 18th
Corps, being in the advance, reached Kel-
. ly's Ford at IL o'clock on Tuesday morn
ing.
A brigade from this corps, commanded
by Col. Buschbeck, had been guarding the
ford ever since the advance Of the cavalry,
two weeks ago. The position had been
well reconnoitered and hence immediate
preparations were made for laying the pom
"'strategists,' were in the right place at the
right time. The engineering was directed
by Capt. Comstock Of Hooker's staff, but
both the laying of the bridges and the
crossing were superintendent by Maj Gen.
Howard in person. %
/. The position is an admirable one for the
sexercise of a little strategy. Marsh Run
empties into the river just below the fords,
after stealing its way round high bluff.
The pontoon boats were moored in 'this
creek behind the bluff; in seventeen boats
255 men from the 73d Pennsylvania volun-
teers and the 154th New York regiments,
suddenly darIed from the shadow of the
hill and pushed vigorously across the riv-
er, and seized the bank. The Rebel pickets
about twenty in number, attempted to fire,
but their powder being wet, they succeeded
only in swapping a few caps at the men in
the boats. Hi,d tH# =
Ill ,;.l, ~.
left and front, but the enemy were nowhere
to be found. The remainder of the two
regiments crossed in boats, while the bridge
building was pushed forward with q most
commendable vigor. Early in the evening
= the Eleventh Corps commenced crossing,
and the Twelfth bivouacked on the COM
handing bluffs that surround the ford.
On Wednesday morning, long before the
day had dawned, the tramp of feet was
again heard on the floating way, and when
the gray light of morning broke upon the
scene, long black lines were projecting
themselves in radia from the pontoon land
ing, and the plain beyond the river was
At O'Clock, Gen. Stoneman's cavalry
corps arrived at the bridge, and commence
ed crossing. Following these came the
Fifth Corps, the Twelfth having already
crossed. ttf'tiz '4sa7s a5fs8g'
The wagon trains were all sent back
Ford, and to those VINO study the directions
) of straws, it was evident that q connection
would be forced from Banks's Ford to the
troops from Kelly's Ford. From IL o'clock
t till irregular firing was heard in the direc-
ton of Germania on the Rapidan, and it is
supposed that the enemy were there en-
deavoring to check the rapid march of the
National troops. though nothing trustwor-
thy has yet reached us, 't+ E9
At II o'clock on Tuesday, the camps of
the LIST Corps Major Gen. Reynolds; the Sd,
Major Gen. Sickles, and the 9Th, Major
Gen. Sedgwick, were abandoned, and the
troops were put in motion. When day.
light broke on Wednesday morning, ma
honal brigades had surprised, surrounded,
and captured the enemy's pickets and re-
serves, and the astonished rebels beheld
two bridges connecting the hostile shores
of the Rappahannock, four miles below
fredericksburg. 4.n.g fa
AS at kellys Ford, so here, there was
no waiting for pontoons; everything was in
readiness, and so skillfully and quietly
was the launching Of the boats and the
crossing of the men conducted, that the
! first notice the rebel outposts had of what
was going on, was. the approach of the
ley at random, which wounded some 20
men of the 10th Pennsylvania Volunteers
j., that regiment having the advance. Col.
Ellmaker is reported severely wounded.
The success of the expedition in boats
was so complete as to prevent an ALARM
The laying of the bridges, though in the
very face of the enemy, was, therefore
carried to completion without his knowl.
edge. t4 Ate 1a st,u. ate
, The hazy atmosphere of the night was
smost favorable for the work. Though one
Z could see perfectly well for space OF TWEEN
>ty feet around, objects more distant wer,
wholly undistinguishabl thoughth the mist
Two bridges were laid near the same cross
ing-one BY detachment Of regulars, ant
the other by volunteers. pleasant rival
~ sprung up, and the volunteer boys car
ried away the laurels by completing thel
bridge 30 minutes in advance of the regu
lars. After this third bridge was con
structed. al s.s ''
Asufficient force to hold the bridges wa
marched over and placed in position, ate
which the crossing ceased for the day. tn
several commands on this side were ad
yantageously posted to await further or
ders. The time, purport, and execution o
these orders will appear at the close Of tn
drama. n 81 T4s g 2aieg 81 avg g.l q
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