Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1863-05-13
THE WAR NEWS,
A Retrogfade Movement


llH VI ANN w hfFtIAIltlI NOilOllhfH us
to state that Gen. Hooker, after waiting in
vain near Chancellorsyille on Tuesday last
Tor n renewal of the battle by the enemy,
recrcssed the Rapahannock on the even'
ing Of that day, influenced by prudential
motives, ~springing doubtless in part from
the great and sudden rise of the Virginia
rivers, in consequence Of the recent heavy
rains.
We do not learn that Gen. Hooker was
apprized, before making this retrograde
movement, Of the success which is alleged
to have attended the operations OF Gen,
lStoneman in breaking The enemy's com
munication with Richmond. If this fact
had been known to him assuming. it to be
a fact it may be doubted whether Gen.
Hooker would have deemed il necessary
to take b step which must tend to deprive
him of some at least of the advantages re-
sulting from Gen. Stoneman's cONopera-
tive expedition.
Among events which have not transpir,
ed officially, but OF which there are rumoIs
having the Appearance of truth, it may be
stated that Gen. ~Sedgwick, in endeavoring
on Monday evening last, with the greater
part of his command, to effect q junction
with General Hooker's army near Chan.
cellOrsville, encountered the enemy in
force and met with serious reverse, the
particulars Of which are not yet known.
FURTHER PARTICULARS
rhe New York Tribune says:
We have authentic intelligence that
Gen. Hooker has sustained a reverse in q
battle fought On Tuesday, but has succeed
ed in placing his army in safety on this
side of OF the Rappahaunock, Gen. Lee
having been heavily reinforced, appears TO
have found himself in sufficient strength
to renew his assault onHooker's exhausted
troops, and was so far successful that it
has been deemed prudentto withdraw the
army across the river. 1t is only too evi>
dent that here, as SO often before, the rebN
els succeeded in concentrating their forces
UPON the point OF attack, while those
which should have strengthened the ma.
tional army were too far distant or to long
withheld TO enable General Hooker 10
maintain the position which he had gain.
ed by mastery strategy and held through
two tremendous battles. 1t must be pres
sumed that the effort to break Lees COM
municalions with Richmond failed He was
able, therefore, to bring up the whole reb-
ell force from Richmond and points below,
and Gen. Hooker is compelled 10 retire
from before overwhelming numbers
The hard rain storm Will swell the
Rappahannock and protect Hooker from
an advance Of Gen. Lee.
The Star Of the 7th inst, further re-
marks
By arrivals from the Rappahannock
this morning we learn that Hooker COM
pleted his crossing at 3 o'clock p. NJ. yes
terday and reached Falmouth, bringing all
his material away safely from his late pc.
%sition. While We were so unfortunate as
to lose some artillery, we have taken at
least as many pieces as we have lost.
Gen. Hooker, it is understood, estir
mates his losses in the late battles at
about ten thousand men, all told, killed,
wounded and missing. 1t is believed that
the rebel losses (which their officers admit
were t%erTifc) were nearly 4 not quite
double this amount.
The rebels mace a futile attempt two
or three times on yesterday TO shell our
camps at Falmouth from the opposite side
Of the Rappahannock. They found their
llANlt pASNt VI tIhNhuO MUS COokllG lHtll
powder and shell to no purpose, and fl,
nally abandoned it.
Brig. Gen. Averill has been ordered to
report to the Adjutant General OF the ar.
my in Washington, being relieved from
command OF the "a cavalry division, army
of the Potomac. The statement that he
has been under arrest is an error.
Movements Of General Ssdgcick.
We find the following letter in the New
York World:
WASHINGTON, May 6.-The capture oil
fredericksburg by Gen, Sedgwick was the
last principal item ofnews from that lo'
cality. After obtaining possession of the
rebel batteries he marched four miles on
the plank road to Charlottesville, where
he met a large force Of the enemy, doubt.
less a part of Longs treet's division sent to
meet him from Suffolk, 1t appears that a
portion OF the rebel army got between
Gen. Sedgwick and the force meuacing
Gibbons, who held possession Of FEEDER
%icksburg. Thus Lee was between SedgS
wick and Hooker, and Sedgwick in turn
between two parts of Lees army. Gen.
Sedgwick had been reinforced BY some
tTOops 'nht nau DelOfe Oeen employed IN
holding the heights east of Fredericks,
burg, and the enemy took possession Of q
part of these deserted works. On Mons
day morning Gen. Sedgwick was attacked
near Bu:ksford by a large force of the en-
envy superior in numbers to his own
Pressed on front and flank, his men fought
bravely, but were finally compelled to re-
tire.
As this movement was about common,
cling the Vermont brigade charged furi-
ously and succeeded in driving the Cen,
federates offthe ground. 1t was a bloody
day for both sides, and the Federal com
mand had done nobly in maintaining
their ground against such numbers. A
retirement across the river was determin
ed on, with a view to recross at United
States Ford and endeavor to join Hook
er's main army, Accordingly, at a littlc
past midnight he ordered the movement
and as silently as possible the troops tool
up the line Of march over the bridge. Tn,
enemy soon discovered this movement
and opened a heavy fire on the bridg,