, 1863-05-08

Correspondence Of the Richmond Wh':.]

kO-hJSufs
FROM THE RATrAHASSOCE.
Correspondence Of the Richmond Whic.1
SEAE FEEp.FIcE.nuRo, Hsy /, 1s63-1aI
OF the operations here "Wednesday you h,ve
alteady published an account substantially
correct. Having been temporarily cut Off
from the scene Of action, have been unable
to communlcate with you until.to.tay. Since
the crossing At Deep Run on "Wednesday morn.
Ing, the enemy have succeeded In ttT.c:iEg
passage Of the river al EIy's Ford, Kelly's and
otlcc available points from fifteen to Invent.
advancing down the river, by the plank road,
ire1n Charlottesville, ten miles below Frede.
ricl:sburE. At this point thcy encountered
and attacked Gen. Malone's brigade, stationed
there, and after d btief fight we're repulse.i
art driven hack, with considerable loss, not,
however, without having cut off aud captured
one brigade. Our loss in killed and wounded
was light. This engagement occurred about
3 o'clock r, II,
General Stuart Was cut of a. one time but
succeeded in c1tricatiug him=s Il and small
body cf nun With hinl, and afterwards zap
tu,ed abou; 100 prisoners taken in several
EkirInishcs.
The enemy have also made demonstrations
as # designing to cross at Banks Ford, four
miles above fredericksburg, where tllcT will
met with desperate resistance from Wllcux's
brigade and Others holding that position.
The enemy occupy their position still Oh
this side Of the river below Deep Run, AID
aplcarto be intrenchiGg themselves. Yester-
ia, the tattc1it6 OH the other side, below
town, opened about 5 O'clock y, III. On our
position near uamilton's crossing. Our bat
tclies replied, md the duel MAS continued III
ec:santly until dusk, at which time it gradu-
ally ceased.
10 sNrn.1shing or fighting las occurred at
sly l'oint along the lines to-day. It is no
doubt devoted to preparation for the general
action, which promises to come oil toInur-
row. L will 0e tie bloodicst battle Of the
war; but The stern determination Of our ot1i-
Gers aid mcn, their high state Of efficiency,
and their previous SUCCESSES, auyur fayur.bIyy
for another glorious triumph Of our arms.
No demonstration has been made by the
crcn'y in front Of fredericksburg Most OF
the ci izcnswho remained there E=vc evacuated
The town. Hooker set1ns to have maneuycr-
I'd 80 Us to avoid skcljins the place.
The e,ieny' balloons hare be-u mp at sew
cral points accommodating. A balioon his
juet descended opposite Han,ilton's Crossing.
Heavy firing heard from above as the train
started.
THE F1GHTISG THEES1,AY-MAuoSE'sE BRIGADE
ESGAGED-AnTlLLEEY DEEL-TI1E STRENGTH
OF TIE ESEM1-TnE'R PROBABLE MOVE
Hints.
lFrom Tic Eictmo1 Dispatch, Nay 81
HAA1LToS's CROSSING, Mar 1, 1865
4Aelc VI = tAc iIauAs u yesterday tramp 0I
twenty miles, through mud, and wouds, and
water. On IN elevated position, behind fred-
cficksbufg, NC could see Yankce balloon
ten 14iles up the river, aud Heard, about ten L.
III Thai the fnnkccs had crossed in large
force below Kelly Ford, and had cut off Stu
arts cavalry from Lees ormy~-that the cross
irg below was fcint, and that the 'nain fight
wou1d be above. About ~ o'clock yesterday,
the iarkte cannon from across the river
poured their Intellectual fires ut our 1roops
near this Place. About one or two p. m. there
vas short, sharp infantry fight; and in the
evening IN artillery duel At three miles .oared
from opposite sides Of the Rsppahannock f,r
the hill aborc this poiut, and two below, ,t1uu-
dtred on the Yankees near and above Grey's.
TEeJ responded, Of course, aud the racket
Was great. One Of our shots struck among
tue wagons near Grcy's lane, and caused rap
i'd Gathering: There was no damage on our
tide, although one shell went over this place
and exploded behind Hanilton's house, Oh
the hill above.
We hear rumors Of crossing below Port
Royal, and Of our a1my's falling back, Sc
Only 1900 Yankees are said to have come
oFtr, and they are concealed in . gorge i'm.
mcdlatelJ on tie riyer near Bernard's. Their
rickets and sklrmishers only appear above the
tank. Our troops up to Inst hight held the
rirer road three quarters Of mile from tie
river aud arallel to it. The railroad was our
second line, and numberless batteries and
countless soldiers filled all this ncighborhood.
1.-THE Yankees MEAN to doanythinS By crossing
thy have lost I'LL possibility Of success by
today to hear that they have gone hack, and
that our army is moving towards Culpepper.
l missed the cars ) yesterday, but will send ron
the latest news up to their departure TODAY.
I forgot to say that Col. Monagan, Of the
5ti Louisiana, was wounded in the Snail
fight on Wednesday in the rifle pits, and
taken prisoner. Fonr In the 6lh Louisiana
We1e said to be killed, and fourteen taken
prisoners. We took some prisoners, how
nn1ly ! con1d not a< certain
Up to ono =. NJ. yesterday Fredericksburg
had not been tired or occupied.
/ still believe That the bulk OF The Yan.
kcc army las gone from opposite Frcdericks.
burg, and this crossing was made rs q feiut,
ana under the belief that . very small portion
cf our army was left there.
10 a. M.-Our wagons have returned, and
troops gone up towards United States Ford,
NEerc the enemy crossed yesterday. At three
p. IN. General Mahonc drove them back, LOST
une company (which was cut Oft on picket
somehow, and fell back to his old position.
Tie enemy came upon him, not knowing he
lid breastworks. lie pursued them aiteF re-
rulsing them.
G,n. Wilcox holds Banks Ford. 1 could
not ascertain the number Of Mahone's killed
and wounded. The fight occurred 1T Chanccl-
oIeyil1e, about four niles from Ely's Ford, The
Yankees were reported to BE- at Spottsylyania
Court 1lorse, ten miles southwest from Chau-
vellora5ille. The court house Is twelve miles
firing heard mp to this hour to-day. Stuart
Was skir1nishiNg all day res er1lv.
All the Indications point above Freslericks.
burg as the real route Of Hooker in lis tOn
TO Richmond.' He las two roads out to
bshks' Fosu, where Wilcox is ready to re-
vat !
ericksbuFg. Ba1ksdale's men arc stilI there.
Inc Yankees are preparing ear.hworks Tor
guns near PIatt's. Their lfnc extends from
Bt1na'ds to A:op's, opposite Hamilton's
CfossanG. Our pickets and theirs are sc.ece.
y TWO hund1cd yards apart- Que Of our shells
Yesterday scattered party Of officers near
PIatt's.
MOVEMENTS 6F 11IE ESEAr-A EIGHT HOUR
Ii ANTICIPATED.
The news from the armies now confrontiur
each otheF on the Rarpahannock i highly i'm
po'tant, nad it is more than probable that oua
OF the seTerest conflicts Of the whole war will
take place to-day or tomorrow. The enemy,
IN very heavy force: have crossed, and arc
noW on the etuth side Of the Rappahannock
ahd Raridan rivera. They were nut disposed
to again attempt to forcc their way to Rich
Mond hy assanlting our position on Marye'5
Heights and along the line Of Maesaponnx,
ana nave consequently sought crossings for
the main body Of their forces some seventeen
70 twenty miles above fredericksburg, 1T
Ely's Ford ard Gernauia These points
en the Rapidan, . few miles above Its jun
t1on with the North fork Of the Rappahan-
Eock. The adyices received by the train last
eyfning represent that the advance IT the
ene my had renched i point within two miles
Of Spatteylyan!a Court House at NOON yesteE-
day. In view Of this change In thc move
ments Of the enemy 1t is probable that our
whole front will be changed, and, instead Of
tie general conflict taking place in front OF
18th of December, it will douhttcsa be fought
In the vicinity Of tho Court House, or near
the centre Of tic county.