The Chattanooga Daily Rebel. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1862-1864, 1863-05-16
yankee Account ~ Crossing the Rappahan,
mock

hammock by the Yankee forces
DET4Hs or THE CROSSING or THE RAPPAuAESceK
HEADQyARTERs Army OF THE PoroMAc, april
i 30 On Monday morning az five O'Clock Inc
eleventh, Major General Howard, the FIFTH
Major General Slocum, and de twelfth, Major
General Meades, struck tents and marched
westward on the several roads leading to Kel.
ly's Ford, distant from the line of the Aauia
Greek and fredericksburg railroad, aOou,
twenty five miles. The eleventh corps being
IN the advance, reached kellys Ford about 1
O'Clock on Tuesday morning.
A brigade from this corps, commanded by
Col. Baschbeck, had been guarding this ford
ever since the cavalry advance about TWO
weeks before The position had been web
reconnotered, and hence immediate piepara
tions were made for laying the ponloona,
] which. strange as ii may seem to slratcgiste
were IN tho night place at the right time. The
engineering was directed by Capt. Comstocls,
LOT Gen. ilaokerB siWh, but both lie laying OF
the bridges and the crossing were egpegiulend-
ed by Major General Howard in Prrecn.
The position is az excellent orc for the eX.
cTcse of little strategy. Marsh run emp
ties into the river just below the ford, alter
stealiug lis way around high bluff The
po0ntoon boats were mUored in this creek be-
| hind the bluff. In seventeen beats two hun
drod aud fifty mn from tue 74lh Pennsylva
MIA and l64th New York regiments suddenly
darted from the shadow oil the hill, pushed
vigorously across The river and reached the
banks The rebel pickets, about twenty in
number, attempted to fire, but their powder
being wet, they succeeded only in swapping
few caps al the men in the boats.
Skrmishers were deployed to the right, left
end front, but the eael1y were nowhere to be
found The remainder Of tho two regiments
crossed in beats while The bridge building
was pusned forward with commendable yigor
Early in the evening The eleventh corps com
menced crossing, and the twelfth biyouacked
On the commanding hills that surround the
ford.
On Wednesday morning, long before the
day had dawned the tramp Of feet were again
heard on the floating way, and when the gray
light of morning dawned upon the sceue long
black lines were seen projecting themselves
in raider IRON the punloon landing, and the
plain beyond the river was soon covered with
moving afaeses Of men.
Atslx o'clock Gen, Stoneman's s cavalry corps
arrived at the bridge and commenced cross
ing. Following them came the flth corps, the
twelfth having previously crossed.
The wagon trains We're all sent back from
Kellys Ford aid parked near Banks Ford
and to those who study the direction Of straws
it was evident that connection was to be
forced between the troops at Banks Ford and
those at Kellys Ford. From eleven o'clock
until one, irregular firing was heard in the di
Fectlon Of Germana, on lhe Rapidau, and il was
supposed that the eneay were endoayorihg TO
cheek the rapid march OF TIE national troops
though nothing trustworthy has yet reached
us.
Atl2 o'clock on Tuesday the camps Of the
FIRST corps, Maior General Reynolds, the third
Major General Sickles, aud the sixth, Major
General Sedgwck were abaudoned, and he
troops were pot in motion When daylight
broke on " Wednesday morning the national
brigades had surprised, surrounded and cap
tured the euemy's pcies and reserves. and
the astonshed rebels beheld two bridges con
Meeting the hostile shores Of The Rlppahan.
mock four miles below Fredericksburg.
AZ at Kely's Ford, SO here there was no
waiting for pohtoons; everything was in reads
mess, So skilliuly and quietly was the
launching OF the boats aud the crossing of the
men conducted that the first notice the rebel
authorities had OF what was going on was the
approach OF tho boats filled with men. They
fired yoley atrandom. which wounded some
twenty men of the ll9th Pennsylvania. thisl
regiment having the advance. Col Elhnaker
was severely wounded. The success of the
expedition was 30 complete az to prevent an
alarm The laying Of the bridge, though inI
the face Of the enemy, was, therefore, carried
"a oota plat,ot tsttfhnut his buou,lnIrn
The bazy atmosphere Of the night was most
favorable for Che work. Though Il person
could sec perfectly well Tor space Of twenty
feet around, objects more distant were wholly |
uudistingushabe through tho mist Two
bridges were laid near the same crossing, one
by detachment Of volunteers, and the other
by regulars. A pleasant rivalry sprung upl
and the volunteer boys carried away the lou- !
rels by completing their bridge thirty min |
utes in advance Of the regulars Afterwards
a third bridge was constructed.
A sufficient force TO hold tie bridges was
marched over and placed in position, after
which The crossing ceased for the day.
Later intelligence brings on the cheering
newp that tho Eleventh aud Twelfth corps
crossed at Germaua Mt three o'clock Yesterday, |
and that Gen. Mead, with the Filth corps.
crossed at point lower down at five O'clock |
The enemy was every where taken 10y sur
prise, and nearly every picket force was cap
tgfed.
From throe 20 Eve hundred prisoners and
wounded had beeu taken mp TO four o'clock,
and the command was moving down in fine
order, buoyaut with hope and overdowug
with eceiacy.
HooKERs SrRENGru IN THE LATE BATrLBs
- llooker's Medical Director gives us the
data by which tho strength Of the Yankee
army may be estimated. The number Of sick
in the whole army on the 6rst Of April was
1871; end toe ratio Of sick for the whole
army % GA per 1000 by the engle rule Of
three these iigurea, according to tie ariihme
uoians o. our acquaintance. make pp a grand