Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-05-04
The News from Gen. Hooker.

1nterest-Queen Victoria and the Princess OF
Wales.
The News from Gen Hooker.
Gen. Hooker's congratulatory order to the
army of the Potomac confirms the reports that
the movement across the Rappahannock has
been successful. He has hamked the rebel
army at Fredericksburg and secured very inn
portant advantages. His order appears to
have been issued last Thursday morning.
The latest letters from his army are dated
Thursday evening. There is no relia-
bic account of what has been done
since that time. \ private report from
New York, received here last night,
states that the divisions which crossed the
river above Fredericksburg have had battle
with the rebels and captured ten thousand of
them; but we have received no dispatches
that confirm this report. A letter in the New
York Sunday Times, dated Thursday eve
ming, has the following in regard to the opera
tons below Fredericksburg =
1.-TWO MILES BELOW FREDERICKSBURG,
Thursday Evening, 8 l-2 o'clock, April 80
A severe artillery engagement has closed the
operations of to-day on the left. In the after
noon casual shots were exchanged, when sud
denly, at l-2 o'clock, Whitworth gun
threw l2-pound shell with wonderful accu-
racy-it being planted four miles away, on the
side of the crest opposite the river. Ten TO-
Founders Immediately followed, throwing
their shell at our infantry, who were drawn up
onthe opposite bank ofthe Rappahannuck. The
force consisting mainly ofregiments belonging
to division, formerly commanded by Gen.
-. The first shell from the 10-pounders
struck fairly in the gully where Gen. -'s
headquarters were located, but fortunately
killed no one. The second fell directly into
Co. X, Goth Pennsylvania, seriously wounding
six men. Their firing new bacame very rapid
and was replied to by Captain Tafts Parrots;
battery f, lst Pennsylvania reserve, Captain
Ricketts,; independent Pennsylvania battery,
Capt. Thompson, and LIST New Hampshire,
Captain Edgell. The rebels had obtained
their range at the former battle of Fredericks-
burg, and threw shell from the 20 pound Par
rots, with the same accuracy which charac-
terize the Whitworth. Our infantry were
soon ordered to fall back for protection under
the bank of the river, which they did quietly,
the shell bursting all around them. About
l-2 o'clock the firing became very hot on
both sides, many Of the rebel missiles rico
cheting, and struck in the vicinity of the -
division hospitals, located at the Fitzhue
House, full two miles on this side, causing
the ambulance to move, and many of
the spectators to change their posi-
ton. 1t was feared for time that
the Whitworth gun, Ga proof of British neu-
trality) which annoyed us most would be
turned upon the hospital, around which large
rebels did ade not c9dRGgregated but fortunately the
mt half OF al, =. l.
too dark to distinguish objects, we throwing
the last SHE'LL
The same letter states that the rebel tents
and camp fires covered the hills, showing that
the rebel army was still there in force; but
the real attack planned by Gen. Hooker was
not to be made at this point. 1t was to
strike at the other wing of Lees army. The
letter from which we have quoted, has the
following postscript
''FRIDAY MORNING, May IA heavy mist
enshroudS us this morning, rendering it im-
possible to discover the position of the enc.
my. Yesterday afternoon they were extend
ed in long battle, on the identical ground
occupied by them in December. With
glass they could be seen in the tree-tops and
on the neighboring heights, watching our
movements. NO ADMINISTRATIONS nave vet
taken place, this morning..
None of the letters or dispatches speak
very clearly of the operations above We
are told that our troops have taken possess
sion of Charlottesville, that Gen. Stoneman
has reached and ''cut' the railroad, that there
is panic at Fredericksburg, that the move
ment below was feint by which the rebels
have been completely deceived, and that
Lees army has been placed in a situation
from which it cannot escape without serious
disaster. More might be told without harm
to any public interest; but, if General
Hooker will beat and rout that rebel
army, we can wait awhile longer for
the news. He has kept his plans to HIM
self very closely; and none of US will
have much reason for surprise, should he do
something different from what we all expect,
and reach results of which we have not been
thinking. 1t is our belief that he aims at
great triumph, and that he will win it.
Hon. SALMON p CHASE, secretary of the