Evening star., 1863-04-21
THE EVENING STAR.
AN ADVANCE ON TIE RAPP.HAE-
MOCK 4

AN ADVANCE ON TEE hAff 4hAi. =
81 MOCK. /
Uccupaticn Of eIirY's Ford Successful
Expedition of Gea. Stonsrnan.
The corr, spondent of the Philadelphia In
suirer, under 6atc OF sTeeman's ford, beyond
Healeton, Va, April IL. gives tha following
particulars of the advance OF Gen. :Stoneman
from the line OF the Rappahannock:-
On Monday morning early, the expedition,
unGer comm and OF MAJOR General Stnrsran,
consisting Of cav-Iry, infantry, and artillery,
left our old Ell ampnient ourusit. Fredericks-
burg; ons portion cavalry alone, proceeded
10 BTisieTb1rg and tlef- encampe,l Tor the
a.ghti another, Gkewls cavalry, bivouacked
tas same night at Elk run; another portion,
cavalry with = battery, eDcamped At Norris
vile, and fourth, accompanied by brigade
and two batteries Of artillery. remained f"r the
Right at Grove Church, Stonemans head
quarters being at The Spotted Tavern, thereby
making complete semi circle. and guarding
and covering every road aad by.path TO our
rear. Igs
Before daylight the next morning, that pcr-
tieH encaDied at Bristeronrg sent out two
EquadTOns, the Sth Illinois and 9th New York,
under Captain Farms worth, with instructions
~ proceed to Warrentoc, thencc 10 Sulphur
Springs, and there await orders. IN. re-
nlainder CT this force were ordered to proceed
10 Liberty.
TIE rcuadron sent towards Warrenton and
Sulphur Springs came upon several detached
bodi CT thai celebrated partisan cavalry who
rendezvous in this locality, to each OF which
III, gave chase, and succeeding in capturing
sCugt aEJ wOuNolEg DINERS upon reaching
the Springs they forded the river, and con-
tinued down on the opposite bank rs far as
Freenan's Landing, when. owing to the roads
becoming Impsssaole, they were Obliged to re-
turn ~ the Point ut which they crossed.
The division. which remained at Elk Run,
left there before daylight the same morning,
and proceeded to Beaitnn. ard upon t;ieir ar
riA al iherr, they observed sIattCTe about upon
the hills ard in the woods, parties OF two, three,
and up TO dozen, of tine same partisan caval-
~ before poker. OF to whum they gave chase,
,arSy Sy,,y -
division is now lying in tn woods near this
point.
The division remaining dur lg the night near
MorIIsyilie moved down 10 K liy's Ford. Here
was discover ed the nTst orga iZad body OF the
enemy. Preparations were & once mdde to
dislodse them, and after ,hr owing a shell or
tN HE reLe;s deemed i. Irude 1t 10 retire, which
they dad at a rapid raie, thus leaving the Ford
III cur possession.
A portion of this force then was sent on up
The river 10 The Rapi;haHnock bridge, with
instructions TO hold il and prevent its spoliaton
Ali has bs eli done agreeable To directions given
They now hoid one side OF Kelly's Ford, and
ar" strong enough III position at the bridge to
hold ii and prevent its destruction.
The remaining division, on leaving their
camrment at Grove Church, Travelled on to the
junction of Eastham's and Eeds,rIuan:s creek
and from there to Liberty, where they now are
These two met with trif!ing opposition, and
have sent in some ten or twelve prisoners.
Thus we were moving quietly along; the
roads were III a splendid condition, the streams
almost dry. a:,G nu-ours;ed success had been
the result OF our every movement when the
violent Storm came, turning the soil into thick,
pSStry concrete, rr;It;Grii:g the hauling of at.
yiiiefy an inter lrlppesbiiity, and il was with
great deal OF difficulty that lead horses
couiS move along. Ali the time perfect deluge
OF rain was tAiilne and a so riIiG! rate TO
cause he many streams empty ing into the Rap
paanGcs 10 swell 20 an enormous height,
Sirran's that we crossed in the morning only
an tEch or two deep, were by noon rapidly
foS ing in absolute torrents, and SO deep az to
ccr-si:Ite the swi ming OF horses in their
crossing. Tie 1st Maryland cavalry in cross
ing one OF these streams lost three horses by
drowning.
Towards noon yesterday, Gen. Stoneman be-
ing fully convinced of the after impras;icibi
~ OF proceeding further, called alton
~: hi> @en"r;.s. whrn it wus determined re-
main III possession of the position then held,
IN order hat ne might, W ithout delay, continue
his tCEr when tie weather and roads will per-
nit. 80 far II has been one coHtin ued success,
and al are sansuine thst SO it VIII continue
until tl:t end.
We douht much II they viii lie able to greatly
rrtard rs should our leader determine here to
cross.
The same correspondent under data of April
18th, writes that although delayed by the
storm, the troops ara anxiously awaiting the
hour v hen ihe improved condition OF the roads
and the streams viii permit them to resume
Their contemplated movement. Already much
valuable Information has been obtained. One
portion CT the command, which was sent in the
direction Of alexandra, to inspect the con dition
ut tIe Orange and Alexandria Railroad, ascer-
,aipfu that ::E! ii!tir injury hai been effected
20 thTr 'liia Of railway by the Reb is, save to
The ilidges cyrr Ectt:. Run and Deep Run.
bCili oi which can be easily restored Another
portion. under tie colnIEand OF Captain Farms
worth. OF ;he Eighth Illinois regiment, crossed
The karpahanmock near the White Sulphur
Srrnes, in FaUqnirr conhty, ard proceeded
down She south brnh OF rl,e trea ~ to Free
mans Ford, . distance Of ten tWeiya miles,
driving the feb".s hrture 'l,nI;i ;iHd killing and
eapinItn@ several IF their uuiuber. But i- " Of
the ;'uiy were seen, although 1t i 5 believed
they were secTeted in large force 4 short dis
sz,nce back of tie river.