Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-05-20

The Return to Falmouth.
o.rrespcudence OF the New York Herald.
HRApouABxxRs ARxY OF THE PoToMAo,}
e 81 May z, 1868.

e May z, 1868. )
A brief sketch of the principal features
opnected With this remarkable campaign,
ltheugh Successfully meagre, csnho' q
his tine prove HninterestlDg.
The advance was commenceu on VIZ
morning of the 9th of April. Inc ,fooPs
v ere elated. Every coun .enanee osan
ID with enthusiasm ana conhoenoe, ono w
e.-aamed ont from its camps among !
r. I;ns olorious in the pride of its power, |
49, m3tb the prospect of victory. The |
and Twelfth corps went first, |
. ID crossed Kelley's Ford without opposl- |
.;ono The Fifth followed immediately at
rar crossed at the same place, wheeled to
the left, and marching down along the
narrow strip of land between the Rspidan
and the Rappanannock, crossed the former
at Ely's Ford and joined the Eleventh
and Twelfth at Chsdcellorsvi.le, nine
miles from Fredericksburg. Every one
was astonished at the rapldiIy OF the
and the fsilure OF the enemy
to resist ns. It is true they gave us llt-
tie fight at Germania Mills, but Voliey
from our infantry was answered by the
white fax of surrender, and one OF the
strongest positions upon our line OF march
fell into our hands, with the loss OF but
sinp1e man. General Hooker, with his
staff. had followed, and was soon at the
front. The advance of the Fifth corps
pushed on down the turnpike towards the
city, but was repulsed from strong posi-.
ton held by the enemy at the junctnre OF
of the turnpike with the plank road, Elk
miles from Fredericksburg, and fell back
upon the main column, while the Second
and Third corps hurried up from the Unit
ed States ford to join in the battle expect
ed on the morrow. That night Gen.
Hooker's order coInplimenting the troops
upon their achievements was received and
read to the army. Cheers and shouts
rang through the forests, and swelled up,
peal after peal, from the thousands OF
camp fires in the fields The bands joined
in the chorus of rejoicing, the troops cius-
tered in their tents and talked exultinely
of their exploits and their hopes tor the
future. and the officers wandered from
camp to camp, proud Of their deeds and
the history TO be read thereafter.
On Friday afternoon, our forces were
again thrown out on the turnpike towards
fredericksburg. The enemy met Us herce-
ly, repulsed Us and drove US back to the
Chancellor House, where Hampton Penn.
sylvania battery opened upon them and
forced them to give up the pursuit: Re
suits were unimportant. General Eooker
had strong position. The enemy must
fight him in it. The night passed our
city.
On Saturday the struggle was recon
mepced. The engagement opened on the
turnpike, ragged tor a short time, ceased,
and reopened on the plank road to the
right Geary's division went down into
the wooes, drove the rebels from the
thickets with great slaughter, and again
there was lull. Then battery opened
further to the right from b. hind III.
woods, shelled Us tor halt an hour, eV1-
IDENTIFY to distract our attention from the
principal movement of their forces, who
could be seen through gap in the forests
still further round towards the vest, bur
rying along TO the plank road and massiDg
on our extreme right. At this time our
line extended along this r. ad, with the
eleventh corps upon the right, and sup
ported by the third and twelfth. Suddenly
the musketry opene d terrlfcally upon our
flank. and the artillery joining in the roar.
deafened the army, while the smoke from
the guns and the burning woods dritted
back in dense volumes, binding the eyes
and shutting in the engagement from
view. The Eleventh corps broke, tell
back in most alarming commission, with ar
tiuery, horsemen and infantry rushing
pell nell upon the reserves; but the Third
and Twelfth corps speedily checked pur-
suit and closed the fight, bravely holding
the ground. So tar the operations, aside
from the behavior of the Eleventh corp :,
were not regarded as of much lnpor-
lance.
The great battle was yet to come, and
the engagements of Friday and Saturday
were looked upon as mere skirrnishes
compared with the struggle expected to
ensue on the morrow. All night our
troops were at work throwing up in
trenchments and strengthening their posi-
ton, and OF Sunday morning all felt conf
dent that the decisive blow was 10 be
struck.
Sunday morning at daylight the battle
commenced. The roar OF the cannon and
the crash of musketry were awful
Steadily our lines were pressed back until
they reached orr earthworks. The artil
lery broke out with redoubled vigor, the
infantry poured their mu:derous volleys
into the advancing columns, and now aud
then the charge, with The sharp, quick
work of the bayonet, wrought death
among the enemy, aud rebels learned too
late TOR life the power OF the Northern
arm. The morning wore away with the
tide of battle dashiDg up against our lines
only to be hurled back like the waves OF
the sea, while our canister and case shot
pougLed through the columns OF gray
and scattered lines like leaves In the tenn
pest About noon the firing ceased. The
stiffness was more impressive than the
thunder OF battle. We had won the en-
eagement The enemy had been repulsed,
victory crowned our arms. The wounded
who had fallen insiee our earthworks
We're sent back to the rear, hospitals
were established at every available point,
and the dead were laid away in their last
resting place. The afternoon was HndIs
turbed except by tie firing OF the sharp
shooters, and the occasional opening OF
the artillery; but the next day was anx-
iously looked forward TO tor a renewal OF
the engagement.
On Monday morning affairs remained
quiet, unususlly SO. While these events
were Transporting, the First and Sixth
Corps were active at Fredericks burg
Bridges had been thrown across The river,
the heights taken, and the enemy pushed
back towards ChaDcellorviile. Ii was ex-
pected that a simultaneous attack would
be made by Hooker and Sedgewlck. Had
this been done, the two wing of the ar