Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-05-07
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THE BALL In MOTION.

n Il 81 +
Auspiicious Opening Of the Campaign in
AZ A Virginia.
n After six long months Of helpless duress in the
mud Of the Rappahannock, the Army Of the Poto-
mac has at last been set free, and we have official
information that its numerous and well-appointed
legions have advanced successfully far on their
dread mission, in the bloody issue of which is
bound up SO much Of the future veal or woe Of this
great country.
I To satisfy the public anxiety we vcntured seve-
raj days ago to announce-being of course well as
sured Of the faot-that Gen. Hooker had struck
his tent, and commenced forward movement on
the morning Of Monday, the 9th ultimo. The
subjoined accounts, official and otherwise, will I'M
part to our readers the particulars of the successful
passage Of the river, and the incidents which fol
lowed it. These all appear to auger final tri-
umph, which indeed is guaranteed by the annexed
cheering and confident order Of the commanding
General: ~ s
HEADouARrERs ARMY OF THE Potomac, sa
Camp near Falmouth, Va) April 80, 1863. u
General ORDERS No Alt is with heartfelt satisfaction
that the commanding General to the army that
the operations Of three days have determined that
our enemy must either pgoriousy fly come out from
behind his deences and give battle our own ground
whore certain destruction awaits him. The operations of
the Fifth Eleventh and Twelfth corps have been success
son of splendid achievements.
By command of Major Gen. HOOKER II
s. WILLIAMS, Asst Adjt Gen.
ORDER RELATING TO NEWSPAPER CORRESPONDENTS.
Headquarters Army Of the Potomac
Camp near Falmouth, { Va April 80, 1868.
The frequent transmission of false intelligence and the
betrayal OF the of the army to the enemy BY
the publication Of njudcous correspondence OF anony
character makes necessary to require all newspa
per correspondents to publish their over
their signatures. IS - ~
In case Of failure TO comply with this order through
their own their employers neglect such correspondents
will be excluded from and the circu alton OF the journsls
which they correspond suppressed within the lines OF
this army. sa 4
to enforce this order and will keep themselves informed
Of all the correspondents within the limits Of their repsc
tive camps should any such disregard its requirements
viii send forthwith them beyond the lines Of this army
BY command of Major Gen. HooKER.
SOME DETAILS OF THE MOVEMENT
From the army correspondent of the New York Tribune
obtain the following details Of the movement over the
river Of the Army of the Potomac This letter is dated
at the Headquarters of the Army Thursday the 30th
ultimo: s Z ,ell.s.1 1855 &es A..tt
~ THE CROSSING OF KHLLYs FORD.
On Monday morning at five O'Clock the Eleventh Corps
Msor General Howard; the Twelfth, Major General Slo-
cum, and the Fifth, Major General Meade, struck their
tents and marched the several roads leading
To Keys Ford distant from the line OF Aqua Greek and
Fredericksburg railroad about twenty-five miles The
Eleventh Corps, being in the advance reached Kelys
Ford st eleven Q clock Tuesday morning
& brigade from this corps, commanded by Col Busch
beck guarding the ford since the advance Of
the cavalry two weeks ago. The position had been well
ed ate were made
for laying pontoons which, strange il may to
.srategist in the right place at the right time.
The engineering directed by Capt Comstock Of Gen
Hookers staff both the laying Of the bridges and the
crossng supsrntended by Major General Howard,
in persou.
little strategy Marsh Run empes into the river just be-
low the fords, after stealing its way round high bluff
The poutoon boss moored in this creek behind the
bluff; in seventeen bOas two hundred and fity6ve men
from the Seventy third Pennsylvania Volunteers and the
and fifty fourth New York Regiments, sud
denly darted from the shadow Of the h and pushed Wig
orosly across the river and seized the b,nk The rebel
pickets about twenty in number, attempted to fire. but
their powder being wet succeeded only swapping few
caps at the men in the boat. H
Skrmishers we're depoyed to the right left and 'front.'
but the enemy were nowhere to be found The remainder
Of the two regiments crossed in boats, while the bridge
building was pushed forward with q most commendable
viqor Esry in the evening ths Eleventh Corps COM
menced crossing and the Twelfth bvouacked the
manding bluffs that surround the ford
sToNRMAs's CAVALRY CROSSING THE RIVER
On Tuesday morning long before the day had dawned.
the tramp again heard the floating and
when the grey light Of morning on the scene, long
black nes were projecting themselves in radn from the
pontoon launching and the plain beyond the river was
E soon covered with moving masses Of men
At six o'clock Gen. Stoheman's Cavalry Corps arrived
at the bridge and commenced crossing Following these
cane the Fifth Corps the Twelfth having already crossed
The wagon trains all back from Kellys Ford
and parked Bankss Ford and those who study
the directions Of straws it evident that xon
yould be forced from Bsnkss Ford to the troops from
Kslys Ford From eleven o'clock til one irregular firing
was heard the direction Of Germana on the Rapida
and IL Ia supposed that the enemy there
To check the rapid march OF the national troops though
nothing trustworthy has yet reached M. atf F
cRossuSa ON BRIDGES BELOW FREDERICK sBuac
Az - o'clock on Tuesday the camps Of tho First Corps
Major General REYNOLDS, the Third Major Gen Sckes
and tho Sixth Major General Sedgwck, abandoned
and the troops put in motion When daylight broke on
"wednesday morning national brgades had surprised
rounded and captured the enemys pckets and
and the astonshed rebes behed two bridges connecting
tho hose shores of the Rsppahannock four miles below
Fredericksburg. y e ..9
A. 1T Kellys Ford, so here, there was no waiting for
pontoons; every thing in readiness, and 80 skiuy
and quietly the launching of the boats and the crossing
Of the conducted that the fret notice the rebel out
posts had OF what going the approach o tne
boats filed with They fred voley at random when
wounded some twenty Of the One bundredand-nn
eeoth Volunteers that regiment having the
advance. Col. Elmsker Ia reported severely wounded
LAYING BRtDags
The success of the expedition in boats complete
m 10 prevent an alarm The laying Of the bridges though
tha Vas thara od n