Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-05-07
LEADER.
FHURsDAY MORNING., MAY ;, Is69.
HOotsr's Great BqttIes--The PreIimIna-

THOhsDAH MORNING, MAY ,, 1868
HOolssr's Great Bq..Ies--The PreIiuIna.
Deferring to our next issue the details
Of the great battles of Saturday and Sun.
day last we give below brief review ol
the preliminary operations, to enable our
readers to gain a correct idea Of the whole
field and plan. We gain much Of this in
formation from the very full correspond
ence Of the New York Times. On Monday
morning, April 9th, the army was put in
motion. Columns Of troops were being
moved ia every direction, but concealed
from the enemy by ridges, woods, SC.
The army was in splendid condition,
larger, healthier and more enthusiastic
than ever before, even under Mcclellan.
The great requisites Of active and success
fol warfare, rapidity ofmotiOn and secresy.
had 6een carefully studied by the master
mind Of Fooker. Pack mules had been
substituted feI cumbrous wsgons, only two
OF 'he latter belRg allowed to a regiment
For the first time, complete secresv had
been observed; nobody but Hooker him
self knew what he was going to do.
On Tuesday three oorps-Reyuolds',
SedgWiek's and sickles, were moved
down the RappahaunOck, to the place
where Franklin crossed at the time ur
Burnside's attack At the same time,
Meade's and slooum's corps moved up the
river. Whether the main movement
would be by the former or latter, remained
to be seen. Pontoons we're laid couple Of
miles below fredericksburg and division
crossed over. Another division was cross
ed still further down. This left four di-
Visions on the north side. These were not
idle. They we're put in motion upon
the slopes Of the hills which were plainly
visible to the enemy, as If they were wend-
ing their way to the crossing. Instead Of
this, however, they were quietly drawn
back through gully to the rear Of the
ridge, when they would again come into
view upon the crest. They thus made the
appearance to the enemy of being at least
one hundred thousand strong, as if Hook
er was massing his army for a crossing at
this point. The effect upon the enemy
was just what was intended, for they hur-
ried their available forces down below
Fredericksburg to prevent the crossing.
Meanwhile above Falmouth, on the night
Of Tuesday, HOward's, slocum's and
Meade's corps crossed the Rappahannock
and pushed on across the Rapidan on
Wednesday, which was accomplished by |
wading, although the water was up to the
mems shoulders, and the current swift
The troops were pushed on to Chanoellors-
vile, ten miles southwest Of Frederioks-
burg. The line Of rebel defences upon the |
ridge in the rear of Fredericksburg was
thus completely asnked. II was in view
Of this aehievment that Hooker said in his
order that Lee must fee or come out Of his
defences to fight. The result has proved |
that he was right. On Thursday night
four corps'-HOward's slocum's, Meade's
aud COUGHS were massed at Chancellors-
vile, and Hooker had established his head
quarters there.
This is what had now been accom-
plished: "To have marched a column of |
rs. 1000 men, laden with go pounds of bag
gage together with artillery and trains,
thirty-six miles in two days, to have
bridged and crossed two streams along a
line which valiant enemy undertakes to
observe and defend, with a loss of perhaps
half dozen men, one wagon and two
mules, is an achievement which assuredly
has had few parallels"
The fact of the complete surprise Of Lee,
as has been reported by telegraph, is
proved by intercepted dispatches. On the
night Of the arrival at Charlottesville,
General Hooker is said to have exclaimed,
"The rebel army is now the legitimate
property Of the Army of the Potomac"
Lees forces at this time were estimated
at from $4,000 to 100000. He felt bold
enough to come out and give battle on Fri
day, but was repulsed, as has been des-
cribed in these columns. He met with
similar receptions upon Saturday and Sun
day, while upon Monday he was terribly
beaten. With this sketch of the prelim-
inaries the reader will understand the de-
tails as they arrive.