The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-05-04

1
The Tribune, in addition to what was
teIcgraphed yesterday, says the move.
mont down the river was feint.
| Wednesday night, the Sd army corps
which was at Four Mile Bridge, marched
up the river again and joined the I'd at
Banks Ford, and early Thursday moru
ing the LIST corps followed in its path, anl
also halted ut the same ford, SO that On
| Thursday morning there were three corps
across The Rapidau River, marching
staight on the rear of Fredericksburg BY
way of Charlottesville, a village about
miles distant from that city, on ,hrcC
moro at Banks Ford, with to road to |.
S Ford open aud communication estsb
lished with the ,yauaing columns All
the sixth corps Is IA position. to move d.
| rectly upon the rebel line OF eommunica
ton, and the 18th corps, still with formid-
able display of colors, threatened to cross
below and assaiI the other flank of the
enemy
! 1t may he well believed that LIE eyac.
uated Fredericksburg precipitately and
fell back towards Richmond. kilograms
to this effect were received yesterday, but
were based on presumed necessity of re
treat, perhaps, as much as upon any dlrett
information II it is not true so much tive
worse for Lee. lie had no alternative
but to march out of Fredericksburg or 10
fight, with the certainty that his who le
army if defeated win be destroyed or cap
tured.
Stoneman, with lis cavalry corps is 10
the rear OF any position to which Lee can
possibly fall back, and we shall probably
next hear that both the Virginia Central
and Richmond L Frederick, b4rg Rail
roads are severed u In that case Lee must
fight with what forces he already has, for
no reintorcements can reach him before
Hool Is tails TN his isolated forces. We
regard great battle as not merely newt
able but imminent, perhaps already
fought
The groundleSsne.s of rumors which
filled the city yesterday, may b. judged
from the fact that no teIesrapbs and NO
communication of any kind, ex 3ep; Off
eiall are suffered to pass outside the lines
to the North. Those which allegc that a
b1ttIe was fought below Frederick burg.
are manifestIy exsggerstions Of skirmishes
which occurred when the troops were hrs
thrown over on Wednesday, and circula-
ted on ignorance Of thp facts that the
whole of that movement was felnt
1t is impossible to suppose Hooker has
divided his army, meaning to attack the
rebels on both tanks at once, and without
communication between tie two wings
The inevitable result of such strategy
would be that with small force Lee
would hold one half in check while he
hurled his whole force on the other and
Destroy it, then annihila'ing tie other.
Considerations and probabilities of ibfor
nation on I at poiat is positive.
The accounts Of gentleman who left
fredericksburg ON Wrdn, sIay evening,
represents the citizens as fleeing in every
direction II is believed the city will he
shelled and robably destroyed. \ com
ple,e panic prevails through the who e
country. Stuart, Lee and Hampton with
their whole cavalry force were in Culpep-
per, watching Stoneman They have all
been intercepted by the Fedora infantry,
and if SLOVENIAN bestirs himself be will
capture the whole concern. 4 brigade
at L s. Ford barely escaped leaving all
their camp equipage behind.
Wheelock' 5 brigade marched out from
fredericksburg, intending 10 check the
advance of Hooker's army, bnt h-sf,Sg
the magnitude OF the move, ordered back
his brigade which fed panic stricken back
TO the Qualifications.
Gems. Lee and jackson are in command
at Fredericksburg, Longstreet at Sa;Ioik
and =. Hill and Pickett in Ngrh Caro-
lima.
There are four brigades three miles thls
side Of the city. with orders to fall back 70
the rifle pits ON the approach of the Yah-
KEGS
The train from Richmond failing to ar.
rive at fredericksburg yesterday it is be-
leved the railroad has been cut by por-
ton of our cavalry sent out for the pur-
pose. The troops from Germania. Elys
and U. $. Fords have joined. Thus far all
is we'll