Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-05-14
IRON TREAEisICKsauRe
PLANS AND MOVEMENTS IN THE RECENT BAT
TLES-THE FORCE ENGAGED LOSSES, &c.
tsprcllL coRREspoNDENcE on rHE Kne:l
EnrntRIcKspuRe Nay M

GsPEc1AL coRRESPoNDENCE OF TIE RHlG1
FRrDtRIcKsBuRe, May 18th.
No ho,,le NJ modern times In which ''mans nhuman-
ity to man. arrayed two armies in mortal COMBAT sur
masses II Il EQUALS, the brilliant mapeuvering ana
successful execution displayed by our great cnei auu
the army under his command, In the late wee. cam
paicn on the Rappahannock The enemy IN over
wheming numbers having crossed with little oppos,,oa
below the mouth Of Deep Rum below Frederick burg,
the remainder moved up the river crossing at oueu
States and Kellys Fords and at Elys and GerTnania
! FOrds on the Rapidan.
THE DESIGNS OF THE ESEMY
Drawing out our forces and compelling them to leave
their original position, the first design OF the enemy
was to left wing at once, while the force cross
ed below Fredericksburg Thought by some at first to
be feint were to advance, break lines on Maryes
Heights and get in our rear.
CHKcKNArING MOVEMENTS.
Perceiving Rockers intention, MahonO's and Pasey
brigades of Andersons division, constituting then our
extreme left wing and drawn up in line OF battle beyond
Charlottesville directed by General Anderson 10
fall back towards Fredericksburg, which they ald !hurs
day morning. the enemy following, their cavalry IN aa
vance The two brigades haulted at wilderness
Church" on the old turnpike road, seven miles ABOVE
the city, Friday morning they were strengthened ny
McLaws and the remainder OF Andersons DIVISION,
general advance being ordered, the result Oh INC wv
hours severe fighting is well known. The enemy IN
stead of iankng u.s. was driven back in precpltate re-
treat towards Charlottesville lines steadily al
yaucing to within two miles Of that point When hgh'
drew It's curtain over the scene
JAcrsoS's FLANK MOVEMENT.
Meantime, the lamented jackson made long dsto'T,
sweeping around by the catherine Furnace, ana
Charlottesville, with the view oil turning tne eHe!
right flank and gaining his rear The booming Vi guns
on our extreme left late Saturday evening, announced
that the hero had gained his point, and was pressing
them on their right flank and in the rear TOWARDS our
lines on the right which success was ioloweu up uni
midnight the deafening reports of small arms ana can,
non and the wbisting of bullets and screaming and
bursting of shells making night hidous The enemy
abandoned his Notifications around ChaneelorsVe re-
treating towards those around United States Ford.
THE ENEMY on THE "PLANK ROAD"
About the same time the enemy having by dint of
overwhelming numbers pierced our lines at FredercKs
burg advanced up the Plank Road, ana was rapiaiy
Gaining our rear Learning this movement Gen. Lee
sent McIaws and Anderson TO checkmate 1t, who,
forming at right angles to our right, extending below
United States Ford presented opposing front TO the
advanSng enemy aud finally uniting with Earys LETT
wing drove them across Banks Foro' Mohuay hSu"
foiOd in their movement a Ia Jackson
THE HEAVY ODDS AGAINST u.s.
With majority of one of the best corps In the army
Observation-Disclosures, and scarcely more than -
men actually engaged at any time, according TO reila
bic estimate against force at least double the number
Gen. Lee though compelled to fight Hooker on his own
ground, penetrated his designs, and thwarted him with
bis own tactics.
1ag DIVISIONS ENGAGED or OUR SIDE
The foregoing will afford general idea OF the plan
of the enemy and the maneuvering by which be was
defeated The divisions engaged on the part OF the
Confederates we're McLaws and Andersons, OF Long
streets corps constituting our right wing, aud Jack
sons corps consisting of the divisions OF A T. HUI,
Trmbe, and a part of D. II. Hills, commanded by
Brgader now Major General Rodes, and Earlys, which
last occupied the line in front of Fredericksburg The
Official estimate Of the general result OF the weeks bat
ties have not yet been reported fully yet that already
published by you will approximate it.
LANE APOLOGIES OF THE ABOLITION ORGANS.
The abolition organs such as the Washington ChrOn.
s atempt 10 apologize for Hookers defeat by saying
he under estimated the "rebep force, and did not en-
cage more than third Of his. If so, why did he suf
fer the immense reserve he must have had according
to this statement remain idle, while he saw his plans
detected and defeated and the force he did engage de-
moraized and retreang to the river whence he came
hard pressed by his Adversary Unfortunately for him.
the zeal of his Masters organs cannot conceal from the
discerning world that he brought in every available
man. and owes his defeat to the matchless skill OF our
great Chief the efficiency and morale of army, and
| the righteousness Of our cause.
TIE ENENY's ENrRENcHMENrs.
| At almost every step in his advance the enemy en-
trenched himself obsructing our advance with FORTH
| cations Of the strongest character Those around
| charlottesville as well as those Immediately around
1
| believed that had the enemy been imbued with the
spirit of our men, they could have held their position
incidentally and defed all efforts to carry II. Every
mile of their progress from the day they crossed until
thew retreaed is indicated by these Notifications How
badly they must have been defeated is exhibited in
abandoning them, leaving their dead and wounded be-
hind But for the necessity OF detaching portion OF
our troops Sunday TO eheckmate the movement from
Fredericksburg against rear it would be difficult to
saw that the evacuation of the Notifications at Chance
| louisville Sunday morning, aud the retreat towards
United States Ford might not have been prevented aud
the greater part if not the whole, of their army cap
| tured
.n THE LAMENrED JACKSON.
The universal Joy which follows the great victory is
obscured in sadness by the unfortunate mistake result
ling in the death of the indomabe, the Godlearng,
| the lamented jackson. Not of the brave
men who have clustered around the banner of
our country from the General-n-C Chief to the hum.
blest private in the ranks, but would have cheerfuy
offered his life willing sacrifice to have saved his to
the country His griefstricken corps, and the whole
army who have been with him on the march, in the
bivouac and so often followed him on the battlefield
to victory as the Of hope to the Confederacy
inspired by his glorious deeds and will emulate his bright
| example. Though be has been taken from earth to
heaven 'hs works do live after him" and his memory
will be enshrned in the hearts OF grateful people TO
the latest times In his deeds, he has erected to himself
"a monument more lasting than brass" Would that he
could have been spared enjoy his elearned aures
when the tread of the nsoent foe shall longer pol
Lutte the soil he so much loved and "whiterobed Peace
shall have stretched her stainless hands in benedcton
over our beloved country" But he has descended to
the tomb,
| "And freedom shall while repair,
To dwell, weeping hermit there" Y.
LATEST FROM THE NORTH.
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