Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-01-27
WlOttester 9ailg Spy,
From the New York Times. Jan. 26.
The Recent Movement TO Cross the Rap
pahannOck.
HEADQUA RTERs ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
DAMP NEAR FALMOUTH, Jan. 70.


HEADQUA RTERs ARMY OF THE PoToMAC,(
CAMP NEAR FALMOUTH, Jan. 70.
The second attempt on the part of the army
of the Potomac to obtain possession Of the
southern bank of the Rappahannock as base
of operations against Richmond has been
foiled If the weather had continued tavora-
bic we should have succeeded last Wednes-
day morning in successfully laying the pom"
toons some miles above Falmouth. We
should have thrown a hundred thousand men
over to the other side OF the river. We
should have surprised the enemy, for our pre-
liminary feints and operations had succeeded
in puzzing them and dividing their forces,
and we were 1orty-eight hours ahead of Them
We should have obtained possession of the
fortified heights in the rear of Fredericksburg,
and thus of the whole line of the Rappahan-
mock river 1t is even possible that we should
have been able to push on, as was purpOsed,
directly to the North Alma, and seized "a base
of operations against Richmond twenty miles
nearer the rebel capital. This is a large draft
we are making on fortune, but it is not I'M
reasonable. The plan was an excellent one.
Every military man disapproved the mode of
attack adopted last time. Every military man
approved the mode of attack adopted this
time.
1t is now no secret that the point selected
Ford, six miles from Falmouth, and from
eight to ten miles removed from the ground
occupied by the army. This point Of passage
was selected at the very last moment, and at-
ter every other available locality along the
river, for stretch of fifty miles, had been
carefully examined, The rebels, anticipating
that we would ere long make another attempt
to cross the river and that when did it
would be above or below Fredericksburg, had
rt,,l,, 4
lines of pickets, from the fords of the upper
RappahannOck, twenty-five miles above Fall
mouth, to Port Royal, twenty-five miles be-
low. They had also busily filled up the in
terval since the the battle Of Fredericksburg,
i'll terrifying every point available for crossing,
by throwing up earthworks and digging rifle
pits.
Their experience at Fredericksburg had
taught them all the use of these powerful aux
lliarles in barring the passage OF a river, and
the amount of work they have done, in dotting
line fifty miles long with improved field
works, rihe-pits and abattis is almost incred-
ibe. They have been further assisted in
guarding this line by the knowledge that
crossing would hardly be attempted except
near one of the fOrds or shadows of the river.
Ordinary military prudence would dictate this
on our part, for ii would hardly do to put be-
fore the army, in case Of the destruction of the
ponoons, the frightful alternative of an i'm
passable stream between them and retreat.
Now, there are only some ten or dozen of
these fordS, and it is obvious what an advan-
tage this puts into the hands of the enemy, by
limiting the number of points necessary to be
guarded by them.
As the rebels had posted heavy picket
force at each of these points, there remained
but one course-to make preparations as
though for crossing at each of them, and so
deceive the enemy as to our real intentions.
1t was quite impossible to make preparations
at any one exclusive point with such secresy
that the rebels should not become aware of it !;
while their central position, distributed along
the line of the railroad, and having beside an
excellent plank road, would enable them rap
idly to concentrate, meet and repel US.
The locality first actually chosen to make
the crossing, and determined upon some three
weeks ago, was SINNERS Neck, ten miles be-
low Fredericksburg. Here the river makes
a re-entering bend, forming promontory a
couple of miles in extent. The advantages
of this position, enabling us to place gunboats
on each side of the Neck, ard plant batteries
perfectly covering our crossing, are obvious
enough. This point being selected, urgent
preparations were set on foot with view to
crossing In the meantime, every rood of
the river margin, both above and below Fred
SIlShobuiSi WAS surveyor Will CGltlCdl cure.
The result of this survey was the conviction
that the fords some distance ADORE Falmouth
were, on the whole, preferable to the point
selected.
Although an encouraging degree of secrecy
had been observed as to the projected move
ment, the active preliminary preparations
going on-and Of which the rebels were made
aware by their numerous spies on our side of
the rlver-admonlshed them to be on the look
out here. The advance was determined for
Tuesday, the 10Th. Onthe Thursday previous
the rebel pickets were sending up signal rock
cts all night, and the observations of our own
signal corps showed that .al division of rebel
infantry had been moved up to the vicinity of
the ford. Presently mounds of the red clay
OF the region, which begun to become appar-
ent through the class, showed that the watch
full enemy was at work throwing up riepits.
On Monday at one o'clock the troops were
set in motlon-Hooker's command moving in
column up by one road Franklin's by anoth-
er. 1t was Il march of but ten or dozen
miles, and night saw them encamped in the
woods within convenient distance of the fords.
The crossing was to have been attempted on
Tuesday morning. Information brought by
our spies and scouts from the other side of the
river determined days delay, and at the last
moment the plan was changed. Instead of
attempting the crossing at United States ford
zen. burnside resolved to make it at Banks
ford-four miles below-and the movement
was put off for another day. On Wednesday
morning the crossing would take place. With
the first gray dawn the pOntoons would be laid
under direction of the corps of engineers, pro-
tected by our sharpshooterS. 1t was presumed
that couple of hours would suffice to see
this done, and four hours more was considered
enough for the crossing of the whole infantry
force.
The crossing of a river, though in itself an
operation belonging rather to tactics than to
strategy, may yet be a cardinal point in
whole system Of strategic movements. Our
nope was that we should surprise the enemy
at Banks Ford. Hookers and Franklin's
grand divisions would then be thrown across
the river, while at the same time one of Sum-
nerS corps (the second would make feint
with pontoons, &C., some miles below Fred
erlcksburg. The key of the whole situation
is the hills IN the rear of Taylor's house,
mile back from the ford, and a mile and A
half below it. If we should succeed in max
ing the heights, and taking possession OF this
position, the game would be entirely in our
own hands. The strong rebel position an the
rear Of Fredericksburg loould thus be turned.
and 3uSt as soon as this caS Effected, General
Sumner lcdS to cross at the old place, diyectlv
opposite Fredericksburg, md attact the vo,,ts
in front. The reserve grand division of Gen.
Al.