The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-05-09
War News of the Week.

paper correspondents having been greatly
restricted in their dispatches, yer, little
news was allowed to come through; so
that, beyond that great battle has been
fought, and that Hooker has been defeat
ed and driven back across the Rappahan'
mock, We really have little except rumors
Hooker's army commenced crossing the
Rappahannock on Monday OF last week,
in three columns, one below and two
absve Fredericksburg and by " ednesday
morning all were across The move
ment was accomplished with celebrity and
without accident, and was SO unexpected
to the enemy that little opposition was
made and most Of their pickets were sur
prised and captured
After crossing, the main column marched
off in the direction of Charlottesville
which is l2 miles south west OF Freder-
icksburg on the Kapidan; SO that, instead
Of attacking the rebels in front, it was
now manifest the intention was to attack
their left flank, and threaten their rear
and to cut off their cummunication with
Richmond. At the Same time that the
main army thus n owed off to the west OF
Fredericksburg, Stoneman's cavalry start
ed in the same direction, but on much
wider circuit proposing to strike the rail
road much nearer Richmond. large
force under Sedgwick was in front Of the
town, and another down the river on the
rebel right
Wednesday appears to have been spent
in getting the different corps and divis-
ions in position. and in occasional Skin
misbes ia which the rebels generally fell
back. Some 500 rebel prisoners were TAX
en- in these affairs.
Thursday, the same kind of work, with
q brief, formal observation Of the fast
day.
On Friday afternoon. the right wing
Hooker had now made his head quarters,
towards Fredericksburg and soon encoun
tered the enemy. After fighting an hour,
the enemy commenced slowly to retire,
our troops following, until they were re-
called by Hooker. As they fell back, the
enemy turned about and followed until
within q mile or SO of Chancellorville,
when our batteries opened on them and
they retired.
Saturday there was considerable heavy
fighting, the operations comprising Sc
ries of attempts, on the part OF the rebels
to break Hooker's line at various places,
which were in part successful only in one
place-on the right. This was held by
Towards corps, composed of the divisions
Of Shurz, Steinwehr, and Devin, mostly
Germans They were attacked by Stone
wall jackson with some 10000 men, and
after the second or thiro fire, fled panic
stricken. The wing, ami indeed the whole
army was only saved from a route by this
piece IF cowardice, 10y throwing Gen
Bregs corps (Hooker's old corps into the
breach, by which the tide of rebel success:
was stayed But the disaster defeated
other important movements which nigh
have secured Hooker the victory tina
day
Sunday there was heavy fighting agair
along the whole line The rebels made
fierce attack on our right, which the
night before they had partially fanked
and got into the rear of. The fight lasted
here some six hours, during which the
slaughter was awful among the rebels and
heavy on our side But Our army by a
change of position had again got the reb.
els around into our front, and had gained
ground on them.
At the same time the corps lef. in front
Of Fredericksburg. made charge upor
the eneuy's works there, and by moor
had taken two lines of entrenchmonts or
tho eneny's left, several batteries and
rome 1000 prisoners Thus on Sunday
night matters looked hopeful. Hooker
had compelled Lee to change front and
was facing him from the south, while
Sedgwick held the heights of Fredericks.
burg on the left of his rear.
Monday there was again heavy fighting on
Rockers right, in which it became APP
parent that the rebels mad been reinforced
The reports are very indefnate of this
days operations. but it is clear that Hook
or held his own on the right with difficulty
while the corps expected to take the
the works south of Fredericksburg and
then fall on Lees rear, failed to accom-
plies Il c job.
On Tuesday Gen. Hooker, after holding
a council of corps commanders, decided
that it was unsafe for the army to remain
longer on the south side af the RappalIan
mock and eA Tuesday night commenced
o retreat to the north side. One account
states that bloody battle was fought on
Tuesday. resulting IN I1oollers being driv
across the Rappahannock; while, accord
ing to others, no fighting of consequence
took place on Monday, and the passage OF
the stream was quietly commenced, with
hopes of effecting the movement unobserv.
ed by the enemy. Heavy cannonading,
However, was heard on Wednesday morn.
ing in the direction Of the ford, but no
statement is made in relation to the dam
age, if any received by the federals The
river was very much swollen, threatening
the destruction Of the poutoons. The
Federal dead were left on the field I'M
buried and great many of our wounded
fell into the enemys hands. The rebels
massed their forces on looller's right.
flank; but this scheme, it was thought,
would be frustrated 10y the high water,
though a rebel cavalry force is said to have
crossed at Northern Neck, aid made IN