Evening star., 1863-05-04


fires at night in the neighboIhocd, to give the
idea that large force v a. there for the purpose
Of crossing. I he bait took. Stone wall Jackson
hurried down the, river with sixty thousaad
men TO watch ue, and there, remained The
bulk OF Wade worths and Double days. diyi-
sions were then Withdrawn, but the ures were
assid iduouely kept mp each night by the re-
mainder. n. IN g5EI ..t.iazs ~. tses4z4-s,,}
A week before Stoneinan was sent twenty
FIVE miles above with a cavalry force, to break
the Orange and Alex audria% d Virginia Central,
and Riehmcnd and Fredericksburg railroads,
in crcer 10 destroy the rsbe! communications.
In addition TO airing up rails aud blowing up
bric gts, he was 10 attack any cavalry force he
ntil ltt hear OF ip his vicinity. The incessant
rains w hich 70 .iowed bis val at the rsspec-
tive foIds " nc re he puTposed crossing delayed
him ior tight days anu derauged plans, but on
Monday last the 5th, III tn ana 18th, corps, com.
mandt d respectively by Generals Meade, How.
ard, and ,:S2oeUIn, broke camp. and arrived ON
1u. sday evening at kelly's Ford, twenty We
miles n bOye fredericksburg, where they crossed
"Wednesday, soon a ter daylight, receiving
only one vnIiry from a lew rebels in riae.pits,
who immedIa ely ran. Here General Stolem n
Joined Them from Warrenton junction, where
he had leel. for supplies, and, raKing the ad .
vance, proceeded successfully ON his mission
Particulars regarding his movements have not
yet reached Us. The ilth, 18th, and 5th followed
rapidly in scutheasterly direction towards
the en-. my's rear.
To mask our intentions, it was necessary 10
divert the attention OF the enemy upon our left
vent MS opaFiDS a 1Jfee TO interfere with
our lnarEh. Pontoons were therefore thrown
over from one 10 three miles below Fredericks-
burg The First and Sixth Corps, under Rev.
nolds and S"dg wick, took position there, and
The first divisions of both, under Wadsworth
and Brooks, were sent over between { and
@ clock. 1t was necessary that men should
frs cross in boats, 10 drive the enemy. from
their Iifie pits on the banks, before the bridges
could be laid. The 5th Wisconsin, Col Bragg,
crossed Erst. accompanied by Gen. Wads-
worth. They slJt edily followed by the
lest OF the F0nrth brigade of his division,
under Gen. Ner. diih, and. III the face of mus.
kerry, all an up The steep decliyties, and took
nearly Two hundred prisoners. The rebels ap-
pfaIed panic struck, anu readily surrendered
IN Cne case single soldier caused six of them
10 Icy down their arms and accompany him
TO furth, the appearance OF permanent occu-
pancy batttrie were planted this afternoon by
wac Worth's di1 ision near the banks, and rifle
pits thrownnp 10 protect the artillery men from
sharl's shooieIS. This drew q fire Of shells from
the enemy and several casualties among our
troops pnsnPd. Our batteries replied, and
moreover Taits battery ON our extreme left
vigorously sbelied rayine where .|acksons
lelmfcrcenlents we're seen passing oil their re-
turn from below Night soon silenced the guns
AZ q orr men slept.
The Third Corps, under Sickles, was ordered
az 4 reserve 20 CIR support tins morning, but
has again been ordered TO Banks Ford, five
miles above ETeder! !chsbt3rg; where the Second
Corps. under C3uch, now lies.
The moon shines brightly, but &. mist is gath
eTlES a. tEls nlLGIsEt NOur which promises 70
delay cannonacing tomorrow till towards
noon. The men here have bean in high spirits
a. the ope;atlG!:S OF the right wing, and are
to Storm the formidable deiences in their front.
which severely checked them last December,
needless of consequences. The first lighting of
tomorrow will probably be on our right. The
action OF the lett " ing will be guided by events
occurring there. .s..
\ letter dated near Banks Ford iii the night
of the 3Gth ultimo thtJs describes the situation
a; thai time.
The army is divided. One large portion,
" hich took possession of Gen. FranisIln's old
battle ground hp low Erpdnri.kshurg, threatens
the enefny's cen ter and the direct Coinn uniCa-
ton 10 Ri, hinond. The other portion, having
crossed the Rarpah annock near the line of the
Orange and Alexandria Railroad, is rowding
down the west bank of the river, across the
Rauidan, and threatening the enemy's left
flank and their communications towards Cor
louisville. Il Is believed that the enemy are
more solicitous for the attack upon their CEN
ter than for the movement upon their flank.
which they belieYe 10 bs feint, and, expectieg
the forces which are menacing them near
Fredericksburg J. are 10 make the principal at
tack upon lie same ground which General
BmDside Attempted, they hold their forces
there TO meet it. Il this delusion continues
unul the column has crossed The Rapidan, and
taBPD from the west bank the lords OF the Rap
pmhannock, which are above and near Freder-
ichs burg, The army caE be again united by the
abandonment OF the movement below, and by
the attention of the enemy on Franklin's old
battle ground across the river at another point
above, which has been taken possession OF by
the force upon the enemy's left flank. This
force has been pressing OF with great energy,
and the firing which was heard yesterday
afternoon makes it most probable that they are
already across the Rapidan, and still moving
on warG. Large forces and pontoons are near
by on this side OF The river, ard are ready to
cross as soon an enabled to do so by he other
forces on the other side.
APanic at Fredericksburg.
From Il letter dated at Chanc ncellorville on Fri
day, the 1st Of May. We extract the following:
The Army of the Potomac is this morning at
Chan cellorville, ten miles west of Fredericks-
burg. Not the entire army, but, nevertheless,
an army is here The entire army is elated a.
the success Of the expedition, and the men are
electrified at The suspicious opening OF the cam
palgn.
ericksburg on Wednesday evening represents
the citizens fleeing in every direction. 1t is :
believed the city Will be shelled and all prop
erty destroyed A complete panic prevails
throughout the whole country The Richmond
papers had repre- sented that Hooker's army was
so thoroughly demoralized that he would not
dare risk battle. Half the regiments go home
in May, and threaten TO mutiny if they are or
dered 20 march. The movements were all re-
garded mere demonstrations TO keep up ap-
pc arances, but all were certain that in no event
would Hooker cross the Rappahannock to
own eyes could scarcely be belieyed when a
large force marched across the Rapidan A
brigade at United States Ford barely escaped,
le eaving all their camp quipage behind. Whee-
lock s brigade marched out from Fredericks.
burg intending 10 check the ad vance of Hooker's
army, but learning OF the magnitude of the;
OF dered back his brigade, which fed
panic stricken 10 the tortificarions.
Gems. Lee and Jackson are in command at
Fredericksburg. Longstrept is at Suffolk, and
A. p. Hill and Picket are in North Carolina.
Four brig AIDES are three miles on this side of
the city, " it'll orders to fall back to the rifle
pits az the approach Of the Yankees.
The train from Richmond failed to arrive in
Frederickst urg yesterday, and it is believed
The railroad has been eat by portion of our !
cavalry sent out for the purpose.
The troops from Germania, Ely's and United |
States Ford have joined. Thus far all is well. |
A correspondent of the Philadelphia Iaqsirer |
under date Of May ,. writes: s.a -
During Friday there WAS no firing between |
,ur troops on this side of the river, below |
and the rebels, a large major
ty Of the latter having evidently been with
Drawn for the purpose of aiding their COM
adj 3 in resisting our forces in their rear. In
act, during the morning they could be seen
pas sing along the crest OF the hill, some forty
IT fifty pieces OF artillery accompanying them 4