Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-06-11


pshed The following is extracted from the cor.
rsspondence of the New York Times:
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE PoToMAc
Saturday Jnae 8, 1853
FOR the third time in sr months the kappahannock
has been successfully crossed by brave men with
eight loss The position and designs of the enemy not he
my sufficiently apparent to the commanding General a
heavy reconnaissance IN force ordered to DO made
ACROSS the river yesterday to determine where their chief
force lay, or IN what direction it was moving
The indications for day two had been that the enc
my were moving but the smoky dusty state Of the
phere and the absence Of any offensive demonstrations
against any portion of lines left the direction of their
march in much doubt On Thursday number of camps
heretofore in sight suddenly disappeared and Thursday
night the line OF plckets along the river doubled
Yesterday morning the Engineer Brigade was ordered
10 proceed to the river with pontoon train sufficient for
two bridges Howe's splendid fighting division of the
Sixth Corps was aeeced for the work Of crossing and the
point for lay ing the bridges just below the mouth of
Deep Run at the identical spot where have crossed
twice before
gan to de6ouch on the open plain opposite the crossing
soon after but for active
were not commenced until about five O'clock During the
afternoon the pcke's Of the enemy lounged on the oppo
site bank apparently filled with nstonshment at the pre-
paraions OF this demorazed and weakened" army which
were gong right under their Save this picket of
the enemy other force visible and the impression
strong that the enemy had left
Ab mt five o'clock the engineers drove their teams down
TO the RIVER bank and commenced unloading The rebels
st one betook themselves the rifle pits and commenced
firing tn rifle pit here is very strong one and our men
within very close range Quite number of the en-
gin ers were soon wounded and it evident that the
old and successful method pushing men across in boats
W ud have to be adopted
Gen. Howe at ordered the Twenty sixth New
Jersey, Gol Morrison of The Vermont brigade to man the
boats, pui b over aud storm the rifle pits
Six Of the batteries Of the Sixth Corps viz Wistons
Buffers, Hanes, McCartneys, Cowans and McCarshy's
were placed 10 position on the plain and for nearly
hours sheled the rifle pits and the TANKS of position
very vigorously Their practice was excellent the rife
pits being almost demolished yet the casualties among the
enemy by shells We're few. The rebels stuck to their
position until the gallant Jeseymen foot on the south
side Of the river about 81 O'clock when nowthstand
ing the shower of canister sent after them they fled be-
fore the rapid charge Of Indeed they could not
well leave before for guns completely swept the plain
and the riff pit by far the safest place for them
The Twentysixth New Jersey soon followed by the
Vermont regiments and that whole brigade crossed the
beats. Skirmisbers immediately depIoyed and we
at advanced in the direction of the Bowling Green
road, covering Deep Run right and point below
Mansfield on left Some sixty seventy prisoners
were soon brought in being the main part of the force
which had occupied the rifle pit They belonged chiefly
to he Second Florida Regiment BY dark our skrmshers
had advanced nearly to the edge of the timber beyond the
Bowling Green road, without having met the enemy in
force Pckets skirmshers and were plenty how
ever and in the direction of Fredericksburg the rifle pits
seemed to be full of men, The enemy used no artillery
against US, and none was seen. few wagons hastily
moved down the Telegraph road and fow seen
south of Fredericksburg AT last night when
left the spot these all the indications that had
dicover,d
The prisoners give but little Information relative to the
=
enemy. Enough was learned, however, to convince us
that large portion Of the enemys force is stl in the
neghborhO"d of Salem Church and Charlottesville appa-
renty on the watch for movements rather than any
OIL -nsive demonstration of their
The charge of the New jersey regiment Twenty sxth)
is deserving of special praise Almost any other regiment
would have done the same, doubtless but they nine
months men, and their time out in three days They
thus 20 home crowned with the glory of this additional
achievement and thus add to the usre Of the that
State already many battle field. The conduct of
all our men was most admirable. The Fifteenth and
Fifteth New York, and the Regular Battalion behaved
manfuy, and wthsto0d murderous fire st close range
Our casualties five six killed, and thirty-6ve or
forty wounded Among the former have to lament
Capt Charles E. Cross, of the Regular Engineers shot
through the brain while at the river bank ia charge of the
bridge details He gallant and accomplished officer
and his loss is deeply regretted He had rendered valu
able services at former crossing and promptly
at bis poet again when he was struck by the fatal bullet
SATURDAY MoRNISa. JUNE ell o'clock.
Another squad of prisoners to the number Of thirty cap
tured during the night brought In this morning
They report small force of two three regiments mme
dlatey ia our front but give little further to what il
going on within their lines.
Our force is gradually feeling its way out aided by
couple OF batteries Of artillery aud there has been more or
less skirmshng and considerable sheug the extreme
front ever since sunrise. The bridges completed
about nine O'Clock last evening and the remainder of
Howes division passed and took position for the
night
Our crossing the river surprised the enemy very much
prisoners stating that they had idea would make
tbs attempt in daylight and they had postponed the
reinforcement oil their plckes until night confident that
we would not attempt to until after dark.
The operations caused great commotion among the
enemy and Longstrees corps massed in Fredericks
burg last night fully expecting the place to be attacked
by daylight This morning they moved off to the right 10
the direction OF Hamilton's Crossing
1t fully ascerta ned that the rebel force nearly all yet
in this vicinity and that Gen Lee has not yet really begun
any independent offensive movement Of bis own although
his intention to do is pretty evident 1t quite pro-
babe Also that whatever movements Gen. Lee has made
during the past week have been based upon suggestions
OF our movements as much as upon anything else
The correspondent of the New York Times at the head
under date Of Monday evening last:
"Ths situation here remains unchanged The position
taken by Howes division the south bank of the Rap
pahannock on Friday evening is still peacefully held The
only hostile manifestation during the past twenty-four
hours has been occasional shell from one
inch Rodman, stationed the hills on this SIDE Our skr
mshers hold the line of Deep Run and the Bowling Green
road while the enemy in plain sight, about onefouh
OF mile further No large bodies of their troops
10 sight About mile directly front Of position
and on the Greet of the bill battery in sight but this
all we can There is abundant evidence however that
the enemy Is closely watching movements, evidently
hoping may continue advance and meet him on his
chosen ground That depends altogether circumstances
Our troops lay their in the plain covered By
several batteries Of those fierce brass Napoeons They
are in excellent spirits and enjoy this episode far better
than the dull and tedious life OF camp.
"A large detail Of is to-day engaged in destroying
The enemy's epits the bank Of the near where
we crossed The bitches being filed up and the banks
eveed off, thus restoring the ground to its former level
surface and deprvng the enemy OF the immediate use OF
this defence and facilitating the passage of troops over
the ground.
mo general engagement is yet imminent There are