, 1863-05-06
!, ~. -,o W., ,,nao g., +,,+ IN t+urna

Sickles' column acted as 4 reserve.
The entire operations Of the day indicate
that the enemy was engaged mainly in feeling
our lines, endeayoring to find weak point,
and to ascertain the strength of our position
and forces, but he was repulscd at every poiut,
particularly in bis attempts to retake Chaucel-
loryitle, and the insane charge upon our bat
teries.
Eyezything goes to shew that Lee will open
O'Clock .. ~, May I'd Our troops have been
at work all night, and the woods resound with
the ring of axes. Both parties are busy build |
ing breast works md abattis. Certain chm
ges are being made in our lines, and we shall
est day in the history Of the rebellion is about |
dawning. Gen: Hooker got some rest during
the night, which vas much needed, but at this
hour he Is in consultation with his Corps
Commanders. His staff are prodjgies ofener~
e., and their labors are unceasing.
Our losses yesterday are not known. We
had about 100 killed and wounded In General
Sykes fight early in the afternoon. Captain
Marsh, Of the 17th Regulars, was killed.
Capt. 0verton, Of Gen. Sykes staff vas
woundcd-not dangerously; Lieut.. Wells,
Assistant Adjutant Gen. to Gen. Couch, wns
wounded By piece Of shell in the arm-not
seriously.
=. Tie troops acted magnidcently. Nota case
Of m1sbehayior has come to my knowledge |
NAt4AtGAA9AA41
idea seems to animate eTerT one-the Idea OF |
victory.
DETAILS OF OPERATIONS BELOW FREDERICKs-
BURG. I
FouR Miles DELow FnEpER1cKssuno,
Friday evening, 81 o'clock, Msy l. 1868.
The day has closed without frlos on either |
side. The two lines Of battle which the enc
my showed last night we're no longer visible
to-day, the troops doubtless having been with
drawn to fight our forces In their rear. Their
skirmlsh line has also been thinned out, and,
to all appearances, the rebels have "1aked
aid scraped' together all their forces to meet
the rear attack.
= Our own troops stretched ont in two lines
Of battle On this side Of the river, whert they
have been since an hour before sunset. As
write the rebels are cheering yociftrous1y, or,
I should say, delivering one Of their peculiar
howls, which Bull Run Russell describes. Our
own men on TIC opposite side Of the river
have taken it up, and are now endeavoring to
drown their yells with mountaineering:
Rebel camp fires laye simultaneously ap.
peQred along their line Of works, which appear
to be built tor effect.
We could see their forces all the forenoon
passing along the road on the brow of the
crest to the right. The torccs are supposcd'o
be JacIson's Corps. Artillery to the number
Of 10 or 50 pieces, accompanied them, being
distinctly seen and counted frum this side.
Capt. FitZhne, who resided In IN elegant
mansion on this side Of the river, was killed
day before yesterday, and his remains sent
over. He was in the rifle pits when our forces
chalged up the opposite bank Of the river.
The balloon las been up all day at intervals.
Heavy firing has been heard from our other
| forces to-day.
Two HugR BELOW FREDERICKSBURG,
| saturday morning. ~ O'Clock. May 2, 1868.
TIE rebels have opened the bali this morn~
ing: fifteen minutes ugo light battery, plan
| ted during the night in the rear of the Bcr4
| cf :}1ol
| onr troops, and was Immediately followed by
their l0-pound Parrotts planted on the
| sidc Of the crest, three quarters Of tAile be-
low, which arc now concentrating rapid fire
on our lower bridge, with the Expectation,
doubtless, Of destroying it. Our guns on the
left are returning the fire vigorously. Owing
to the dense clouds Of smoke, am unable to
| ulake out all the batteries participating. Capt
Ricketts, 1st Pennsylvania, Capt. Edgclls 1st
New Hampshire, Capt. Thomson's 1ndcpend-
| cnt battery, planted together On 4 suial eleya~
tion, are among the number.
E;flftn ninatex past eight.-Thc rebels have
opened their Wnitwoftl gun and several
others on the extreme left. Our troops arc
drawn up In two lines Of battle on this side
Of tie Rappahannock, md have not suffered
any as yct. Those on the other side have
dropped down under the protection Of the
river bank, where they are safe from the en-
c1ny's missiles Last night they we're heard
operating on the railroad, and tlis morning u
few pieces Of railroad iron have been thrown
The firing from our forces Oh the right. now
directly in the rear Of the rebels, can be dis
tinctly heard. A moment ago saw one o1
their shells explode above tho crest. The
rebels are thus compelled to fight that way
:. The decisive struggle will undoubtedly take
place to day. If VIC have Il sufficiently heavy
force in the rear, victory must crown our ef,
forts. The weather Is very mild and balmy.
But few rebels can be seen this morning.
| ~ .3<, hn 1kat rurS7+
J slacktned on both sides.
THE SITUATION ON THURSDAY.
Correspondence Of tic New York World.
GEN. FIASKL1A's CRoss1So ON RArrAHASSocK, !
Three miles It below FredesiEskssprg, E
The situation is at present thus: The army
. Is divided; one large portion, which took
. possession Of Gen. Franklin's old battle
! ground below Fredericksburg, threatens the
: encmy's centre and the direct Communication
to Richmond The other portion, having
crossed the Rappehannock near the line Of thu
Orange and Alexandria Railroad, is crowdine
) down the west bank Of the river: across thl
Rapidan, and threatening the enemy's lefl
, donsyille. Thus has Gen. Hooker separated
! his forces, and apparently committed tht
greatest and most nalpable Of military blum
, ders. But VIC shall ecc. This apparcn
} scattering may be the most effective mod
7
: cess, upon ground not covered will
!. ca,tlHorks and dGferscs. Thus far the plansuc
c cceds. It Is believed that the enemy are NOR
q sollcitous for the attack upon their ceute
t than for the movement upon their flank, Whic]
c they believe to be o feint, and, expecting til
:. l. forces which are menacing theul near Fredes
: / ickSburg are to make the principal attac
, upon tic same ground which General Burn
d side attempted, they hold their forces there t
+ meet it, II this delusion continues until th
| noJ n1n1-A hnen rat3 %hA nv,
n taken from the west bank, the fords Of th
C Rappahannock, which are above aud near t
d Fredericksburg, the army can be again unite
l. by tile abandonment Of the movement belo
}, and By pushing tthha forces which have bee
j tt!cccnp5ing the attention OF the enemy Q
Q Franklin's old battle ground acroas the ri7t
q ut another point above, which has been take
s possession Of By the force upon the enemy
. left flank. This force has been pressing Q
= with great energy, and the firing which ":
o heard yesterday afternoon makes 1t no
is probable that they are already across Il
c | Rapidan and still moving onward Larl
r forces and pontoons are near By on this sit
It Of the river, and are ready to cross Is soon
It enabled to do so BY tho other forces on II
= other side.
70 GEN. STALLS ,5a 9gG9NSo1SSAAEcE n; HSSAS TowAR
n Fairia1 c. a, April ST. is63.
ID Gen. 6tohel with two brisades Of caralr..
il commanded by Eols. I0Wne and UeF0Tes
e | and Capt. Daniels light battery, lett Fai1fl
9. Court House On Monday morning last, at
ID o'clock, to make q Reconnaissance in for.
of toward the Southern Gaps OF the Blue Fidg
= | Taking the turnpike to Aldie, the colun
h | moved on without Incident until about ha
ut way between Chantilly and Aldic, when lam
I'd ers Of the adSance discovered three bus
Il | Whackcgs on foot in the woods. The ma1au
at ers took to their heels, bpt were soon ca
sc tuIed and disarned. They proved to be thr
n of Moeby's men. Ono named Barnes, a re;
as dent near Chanttlly, has been in the old CAP
r. tol, and from there WAS sent to Ricimon
d. where he was forwarded to 1losbY. Anoth
named Wren, was also . resident Of that ,
Id | cfnity. These two were in citizens clothe
be | The third was IN Arkansas traveller bclonsii
e. ! to tile 1st Virginia, but sent with others to |
Id ipforce Mosby. On reaching 6llem with u
lie | advance, the rebels were reported $50 stro1
pg In the town, under Moseby. Ordering II
be advance guard to charge through the Tow
elk the General hurried up The column; bnt the
lis was no fight in the traitors, who hastily Il
he on the road to White Plains IS the charge II
lie made. Here information WAS obtained,
Mt | the effect that Stuart was at WaTrenton, al
70 that Whites battalion WAS expected ut Sale
r. every moment from Warr1nton to rel
IN force Mosby. Subsequent events prov
i'd that the report was only rumor. Stoppt1
10 at Salem long enough to gather his for
d. together, General Stahe} moved
re- White P1ains to meet White shou
nd he be on the way. At that p1ace. however,
| S{r off a