, 1863-05-08
the REBEL ACCOUNTS,
What the Richmond Papers of
the LIST and I'd Of May Say
Of the Operations OF
The Rappahannock.
NEWS FROM FREDERICKSBURG
Lfsom the Richmond Examiner. Mav,1

FErnEnleKsLrno, April .l11 Pm.
Ihts morning. about FIVE O'Clock, = courier
deeEed INTO the town With the st;'rtljnrr ~.
eitlcg Intelligence that the encny were eross-
ing tle Eappahannock III this vicinity. I'M
!uedlately TIC Episcopal church bell, tie ring.
as signal, sounded the alarm, and lie strcets %
presented busy spectacle Of military prtnar.
asftn, and The women and children leaving lie
scsne Of dagger 'Ats
:. fonr correspondent reached the advanced
line of or pickets about scren o'cIocE. and
leuIu al mat early hour their pontoon bridge
ut the mouth of Deep run, on the Nansfi+id
estate, completed, and several regiments NJ
Tue tnemy already across. The troops sta-
tiehed near report that our regiment IN antv
at tEat point was surprised about three O'CLOCK
IN the morning BY Il party Of the enemy, who
enecied the passage of the river in boats.
oIe Lrndred ct the surprised are reported to
oe prisoners an e1agyefation, it Is to be
Hoped. There was no contest at this bridge
after sunfise. excepting An occasional cana5u
shot carly IN the morning. Four or fiye other
bridges, however, are said to be constructed.
or IN course Of construction, within space Of
a mile and half distant, at Mansfield. which.
ey the way, Is about that distance from Fred.
srIcksburg: Desaltory discharges, both Of
cannon and musketry, have been occurring at
these points during the day.
W reaching this side Of The nEerthe enemy
threw out skirmishers OF once, who met no
dlsputants to their advance to the road lead
ing to Hamilton Crossing, where they estab-
nshed their line Of pickett and retired.
:, Inc upper bridge alone, and operations
there only: were visible 10 your correspond
ent:. Tic Yankees continued to cross there
until Two o'clock, P. n infantry, artillery
and wagons. They swarnled irregularly over
the field and bluffs Of which they had taken
possession, seeming not even to lave fallen
into ranks. About fire P. II. light rain
commenced, when they pitched their tents,
and stened to be making themselves quite at
home.
All throughout The day their balloons were
In the air to . great height, and the opposite
banks OF the rircr, as lar As the eve could
reach, was blue With their crowded columns
Singular to say, notwithstanding tue close
proximity Of Fredericksburg to these e1cit-
ing occurrences, the batteries in direct front
of the city were not marnel throughout the
day, the pickets have been lo1iins quietly on
thu banks ofthe rirer, within short ride rsAuge
Of each other; and excepting afew more SPEC
tators than customary, the line has been Tin
usually quiet. A Fontoon trajp Is stated to
hare arrived ;shont noon opposite the lower
TEalf, and NON lies concealed behind the hill,
1f'his be true, TO Dlofrow will be smother
evebtful day In the experience Of the old
town.
1t is utterly impossible to estimate, with aay
accui2ty, the number Of the enemy who have
crossed the river. The number eucamped
this cyering at the upper crossing did not ex-
ceel five thousand. The opposite bank waa
still covered with infantry and m immense
force Of artillery. 4 general engagement cali
Lot be avoided Tomorrow, unless they retire
Tonight.