Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1863-05-13
GEN. HOOKER's MOVEMENTS.


Hooker's crossing the Rappahannock, and of
his occupation of Chance lerville, and his en-
gaging the enemy.
| Early on Saturday It was discovered that
| the enemy vas moving westward on the Spott-
| sylvania road. Reconnoissances were at once
| made, when it was discovered that Jackson
was trying to outhank Hooker'sright and get
| in bis rear. Immediate measures we're taken
to prevent this, by moving forward the Elev-
| enth corps, which was vigorously attacked by
Jackson. A part OF the Eleventh was soon
thrown into confusion, but Hooker soon re-
paired the loss by advancing the I'd corps to
the support of the Eleventh. In fact, the
whole of Hooker's line was attacked with
great severity. but our men sustained them
selves most nebly, and repulsed the enemy at
every point.
On Sunday morning the Rebels resumed the
attack vigorously, and at noon Hooker chang
ed the base of his line, By falling back some
distance from Chancellerville, with the hope
OF drawing the enemy out of his positions.
Whilst this was transpiring on the right, ,Sedg-
wick crossed at Fredericksburg and occupied
that place, and after some hard fighting car
ried all the enemy's works on the nights,
where they rested on their arms during the
night.
On Monday, Gen. Sedgwick advanced again
upon the enemy and endeavored to form a
junction with Gen. Hooker at United States
ford but the enemy being greatly reinforced
during the night from the main rebel force he
thought it prudent to fall back and recrosSthe
| river, and form junction with Hooker on the
north side of the stream. Hooker had taken
| a new position on Sunday, after the battle at
Chancelervile, stretching parallel with the
river, where he was amply prepared for fur
ther attack from the enemy, who bad been
heavily reinforced during the past week.
The rapid rising of the Rappahannock, in
| consequence of heavy rain storm, which was
likely to endanger Gen. Hooker's line OF COM
munications between his army and its sup
| plies, and the uncertainty of the success of
Stoneman's expedition, made.it prudent to
withdraw the army to the north side OF the
river. Accordingly, on Tuesday morning the
| retrograde movement was commenced, and
| by Wednesday at noon, the whole army was
safe across the river and in their former
camps. The crossing was accomplished in
good order and without any loss-the enemy
not having moested our army in its retrograde
movement. The fact that the enemy were
| not willing to followfus as withdrew to the
river, nor were able to interfere with our cros-
sing, lis certain indication of their exhaustion
They were unquestieuaby terribly cut up.
| A gentleman connected with the Pennsyl-
battles, gives most cheering account of our
army. He was participator in the battles
fought under the immediate eye Of General
Hooker, and afirms that never did soldiers
| fight better, and never was such admirable
generalship displayed as on this occasion.
With the exception OF the time of the panic
| in the ll,h corps (Which afterward done its
whole duty,) the men stood as firm as rocks,
and literally moved the rebels down as fast as
they came up. He had witnessed many bat
ties during the war, but never did such i'm :
mense slaughter take place. The rebel dead
were piled in many places eight and ten deep,
and person could scarcely walk step with
| out tumhling over corpse. He thinks the
enemy lost at least four to our one. as Hook ker
strongholds, and deal as much destruction into
their ranks as possible. The report that our
army was demorslized, or that our men felt
that they were whipped in being Withdrawn
was not fact; on the other hand, they con-
sidered 1t a wise movement, and one which
would lead to more serious results to the Reb-
els Our loss in killed, wounded and missing
] is said to be about 900.
Gen. Stoneman, comm ander Of our cavalry
force, succeeded in destroying all the rail
roads leading from Frederick sburg to Rich
mond, thus cutting of the Rebels communica-
tion with their capitol He had approached
within two or three miles of Richmond, and
drove in the rebel pickets. Our cavalry made
march of 200 miles since the Srd of May.
inside OF the rebel line of fortifcat tions of
Richmond, burned sl the rebel stores at the
| railroad station on the hattapony, destroyed
all the ferries over the Pamuky and Malta
pony, burned all the bridges over the Chicka-
hominy, destroyed three large trains of pro-
visions in the rear of Lees army, destroyed a
large depot of commits sorry stores near and "a
bove Rappahannock, destroyed the rail road
bridges near Charlottesville, and captured and
paroed over 300 prisoners-haying lost but
one Lieutenant and 80 men. The more that
| is known OF this expedition, the more numer
Gus and daring appear the exploits of our for
ces, and the wider the range of their opera
tions. They deserve much credit for what
| they have done. Gordonsville, is said to be
the only place of Importance not visited, Gen.
Averill not having obeyed his instructions