The New York herald., 1863-12-04
THIS viRsS POSITION.

Goth In front OF Robertsons tavern the old turnpike
road leading from Fredericksburg 70 Orange Court house
and about bfteen mills eas. Of The Court House.
HuoRE nARrSa.
At starting the army formed line cross
ing the Orange and Alexandria Railroad at r'gn'
angles at Brandy Station Tho second corps had
The left Of this line and was consequently nearest iss
point Of CROSSING tho Third had the centre, aod The
Sixth the right Tho First been doing guard duty on
the railroad east OF RappahaDuock Station The Fhh
was near Keilys Ford.
Al daylight the morBng Of the National Thanks
giving the army took up line Of march, Nothing could
be more beautiful than this magnificent sutunnal morn
ing The last stars fading from sghtthe rising
light Of day chasing them away-as tho buges
sounded the advance In twinklng the vast
cities Of canvass rooted hsbitatops disappeared
and their tenants sboulderpg them with the furniture
thoy had contained and all their own personal eec,s
wheeled into line, grand army prepared to do battle
right valianty. And then the march began. The pre-
day had been dark and gloomy refusing to farther
purposes the least by drying the roads from the
preceding twenty -four hours storm Therefore, while all
bright and cheerful and beautiful overhead beneath
almost unathomable depth Of mud-the pecu
barity Of Virginia roads after q storm.
RIVER.
The right column, which l accompanied, bad
fields cultivated during the past summer which
the rains had made extremely soft. Into this
loose saturated earth aukle deep and
artillery mired almost beyond the power OF horse flesh
10 exuicate g. But the command onward, and on
ward, deepite all obstacles and difficulties. the column
pressed and at noon precisely General French and staff
at the head Of the column came in sight Of Jacobs MILL
having marched distance Of fourteen miles.
InE SECOND coRfs,
having but hall the distance 70 march, with good
all the way, partly panked had reached Gsrmanna Ford
an hour previously, and waiting. in accordance
with the programme Of the movement, for the Third TO
cross trst
CROSSING
The Second div Of the Third corps, under General
Prince, had the advance OF line the march and
the crossing The Jersey brigade Of this division GeDe
raj hotts) had been detached and sent 10 Mtchells
Ford above 70 hold that point and thus very materially
AID in hsuring our safe crossing. Tho first Brigade
Colonel Blasdel commanding, led the column
and had the advance in crossing, Tho column
halted in the woods of the summh of
the heights overlooking the river and OF sight Of
the rebel pickcts who held the south bank. General
Prince then rode forward and reoonnored the position
and under the directions OF General French, commanding
the corpe proceeded to make his dispositions to effect
the passass Of the stream. At this me 1t known
the south bank Of the river 70 True, no
force except = dozen cavalrymen TO DO 10
the open fields directly oppesee but they look ing
for there every TO guppoee they would
be- they wotld not expose thor forces 70 view they had
any there Il was necessary therefore, TO proceed with
the greatest caution and every disposition exactly
as Il we sure Of meeting the entire rebel army.
General Prince therefore acted wisely in conceang bis
troope until the arrangements fully made ana then
immsdiatey, giving ths enemy tino reilly
fore We bad gained tho opposite bank seemed TO me
that hour rather longer time than requisite for
this but the whole time fully and Ddustr,ousy
cupicd
DISCLOSING ME DoRcEs
AT the expiration II that time the Twenty. sixth
PENNEY lvana advanced skirmishers and moved
steadily down the hin 70 the Immediate bank Of the
river. battery Of artillery was simultaneously run ou,
Of the woods and placed position the hills
mand the oppoei.s heights. THIS followed by pom.
soOn train, under command Of Captain rurnbun which
moved down TO the wAers edge, followed cosey BY lbe
balance Of Balsdell's brigade.
rm kSKnY srRrsKkp.
The sudden appearance of this force evidently q
surprise TO the rebel pckets who put spurs 70 their
and gallopcd back the before We had
made effort cross
sKRnsHus AcEoes.
As the pontoon train reached the boats
launched and the Eleventh New Jersey, Colonel Nc
Allister, jumped into them and ferried across.
This gallant regiment charged bravey up the prec ptous
hills opposite and finding 10 enemy there advanced TO
tie edge Of the woods third Of mile back where thoy
managed 10 ms snincant sklrmisb oct Of the
deuorazed rebel pIckets, who ned after delivering two
or three wild shots
LAYING rorTooss.
In the meantime Captain yurnbull proceeded 10 lay
bridge. Here another provoking delay occurred caused
by mistake Of engineer onfcer estimating the
width Of The river and giving The number Of boats
CURED We short just boat and In consequence
had to build derrick 10 support the last Ieetlc This
consumed valuable time, 20 that u after three
O'Clock before the column could begin crossing.
un cInrR srE-As ovrpuorr
Bot tns was only the commencement of
our annoyances for on crossing the lofty
banhs found 10 be precipitous ~ /
make II Improbable TO move artillery any wheel
carriages up them, unless by cutting read. which
would have required days time. This time could not
be spared General French, In this emergency, with the
prompnes that charaeeriIes ali his movements ordered
bis artillery and trains o move down TO Germanna Ford
and cross there, and At the same time directed bic
column 70 move co, hoping and eIpeeing 10 reach Ro-
oersops tavern during the evening. Bot ths he ~As
doomed 70 another disappointment.
sApcuNo
have already alluded to the insocuracy Of military
maze. Instead q finding the straight road lad down
upon The mape for route we only dscov
cred the network Of apologies for roads
wood paths described above. Through these
could but four abreast while our fankers had
the dtoulty 10 penetrating the bicE bru,h that
lined eltber aide of the route.
Under these circumstances, aud having guide u
70 be wondered that General Prince Who was lead
ing took wrong road aud dd bo, discover hls error
until be ran nto the rebel picket line when he found
himself, with sun gone nearly up 70 The rebel fort ned
potliior lear Morton o yord.
oountrmnch VA Of oourr neoes,Ary, and, dArsnoes
coming on ovouao in the woods only recourse
And 80 We halted for the night the erth corps having
crossed the river Immediately After u.s. and being uass.d
cosc A hand 70 support us should BE- attacked on com
municats noertaned secopd eorpe had done
bot .e more than oross the river Their bvouac for
,t,e riott han