The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-05-07
EVANSVILLE, IND THURSDAY MORNING.

IhaJor-Ueneral Slocum, and the Fifth,
under Major-General Meade, marched
from Falmouth on Monday, arriving at
Kellys Ford, about twenty-five miles
distant, on Tuesday The rebel pickets
were surprised, a bridge thrown across
the Rappahannock, and the Eleventh
corps was over the river before dark.
The Twelfth corps made the passage du-
ring the night, Stoneman's cavalry corps
came up and crossed at next morning,
and the Fifth corps followed immediate
ly after. The cavalry instantly dashed
forward, aiming for the rebel line of CON-
municatiou between Fredericksburg and
Richmond. The Eleventh and Twelfth
corps moved without delay on Germania,
and crossed the Rapidan at that point at
o'clock on Wednesday afternoon The
Fifth corps passed the same river fur
ther down at 5, neither column having
met any considerable resistance.
Meantime the lst Corps, under Major
Gen. Reynolds, the Sd corps, under Ma
jor-General Sickles, and the 9th corps
under Major-Gen. Sedgwick, starting at
noon on Tuesday, moved down the Rap
pahannock, and in the course of the
night, the Sd and 9th corps bridged the
river four miles below Fredericksburg,
and threw across sufficient detachments
to hold the opposite heads of the bridges
The lst corps succeeded in the same at
tempt two miles further down, being op-
posed by rebel sharpshooters in rife pits,
but silencing them with artillery.
When these two movements had been
accomplished, the three corps that cross
ed at Kelly's Ford being already or the
march for the Rapidan, the Second
Corps, under General Couch, seized
Banks's Ford, six miles above Freder-
icksburg, on Wednesday morning; open
ed road between there and United
States Ford, ten miles beyond, and with
out crossing in force lay in position for
a movement the moment they were
needed.
During Wednesday, then, the Elev-
enth, Twelfth, and Fifth Corps reached
and crossed the Rapidan, the Second
occupied Bankss Ford, the Third and
Sixth lay four miles below Fredericks-
burg, and the First six miles below,
threatening movement on that flank
also. The enemy might well be at a
loss to know on which side the blow was
about to fall His pickets had been sur
rounded and captured at all points, and
the whole operation had been silently
and suddenly effected, and the real |
movement skillfully disguised.
On Thursday morning the scene
changes The movement down the
river was a feint Late on Wednesday
night the Third Corps, which was at the
Four-Mile Bridge, marched straight up
the river again and Joined the Second at
Banks's Ford; and early Thursday morn
ing the First Corps followed in its path,
and also halted at the same ford; so that
on Thursday morning there are three
1--WE niles niIgSs distant from that, and three
more at Banks's Ford, with the road to
United States Ford open, and commun-
cation established with the advancing
column-all six in position to move
directly upon the rebel line of communi-
cation, and the Sixth Corps still, with
a formidable display of force, threaten
ing to cross below and assail the other
flank of the enemy 1t may well be be-
lieved that Lee evacuated Fredericks- |
burg precipitateIy, and fell back toward
Richmond. kilograms to that effect !
were received yesterday, but were based
perhaps as much upon the presumed
necessity for such a retreat as upon any /
direct information. If it is not true, so
much the worse for Lee. He had no
alternative but to march out of Fred
ericksburg or to fight with the certainty
that his whole army, if defeated, viii be
destroyed or captured And in any
event Stoneman with his cavalry corps
is in the rear of any position to which
Lee can possibly have faller back, and
we shall probably next hear that both
the Virginia Central and the Richmond
and Fredericksburg Railroads are sew
cred. In that case, Lee must fight with
what forces he already has, for no re-en-
forcements can reach him before Hooker
falls on his isolated forces
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