Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-05-18

the recent seven days fighting around Fred
ericksburg, [ shall endeavor to recite the
'rincipal movements Of our own and the yam
ltee army, during those eventful days. |
shall not pretend to give, in detail, the move
mepts or engagements of all the different |
brigades Of our gallant army, but such lead |
ing facts as may enable the public to f1rn
something like correct idea of our hard |
weeks work.
During the night cf Tuesday, the 28th ult,
a considerable nusaber of Yankees (about
250) crossed the river in boats in front of
Gen. Early's position, and Just below the,l
point where Deep Run empties into the river.
3 Owing to the darkness of the night tit being
very foggy) they were enabled to cross with
out being discovered, and rushing upon our
pickets at that point, captureds nearly all of
them. A large force being in readiness on
the other side, with boats and bridges, in a
very few minutes the yankees succeeded in
laying down two pontoons, and by the time
the fog lifted in the morning sufficiently for
us to discern their movements, they had ef-
fected the crossing Of over twelve thousand
men, with several pieces of artillery, and
continued to pour upon US their heavy col
umn until they had crossed about twenty
thousand of all arms. As soon as their
movement was discovered land considerable
blame has been attached to our force on pick
ct at that point whether justly or not, cam
not. say,) Gen. Early made active and yigor-
GUS preparations to give the Vandals a pro-
per reception. Gen. Lee ordered up our ar
tilery, which had been for some time in the
rear about Chesterfield Station and Hanover
junction, for the purpose of recruiting their
broken down and starved horses, and all the
troops of the different corps were promptly
placed under arms, and ready to move to
such points as the movements of the enemy
should require. About u o'clock, the fog
having lifted little Early fell upon the enc
my with great vigor and effect, effectually
preventing his columns from depIoying forra-
ed from the valley. The firing continued
with increased fury until ten or eleven o'clock,
when the yankees apparently became salts
he'd that any further advance, withouta much
larger force, was not at all practicable, anC
gradually fell back towards and near the
river.
In the engagement our troops behaved
handsomely, repelling force nearly double
their own and inhictihg serious injury upor
the enemy. Our own loss was not consider
able, though some of Early's brisades suffer
ed severely.
AS soon as the enemy's movements oppo
site Early were ascertained, Wright's brigad
of Georgians were ordered up, from Massa
ponax Church, seven miles distant, to tn
support of Early's left. This brigade move
promptly, and in an hour and a half fror
the receipt of their order were in line, imne
diately to the left of Hamiton's Crossing
their right resting upon Earlys left. The
were not engaged, as Early succeeded i
thrashing the yankees before they got int
position.
At one o'clock all was quiet along Early
front, except the occasional firing of skir
mlshers, the enemy being constantly rein
forcing, by the addition of heavy column
which we saw crossing on both their pom
toons Our artillery not having come UP,
was not deemed prudent to push them fur
ther, and consequently their crossing ":
entirely unmolested.
About noon information was received th
the Yankees, in considerable force, had eros
ed the Rappahannock at Kelley's and Ellis
Fords, and were pressing forward towar,
Germanna and Ely's Ford, on the Rapida
Two brigadeS of Anderson's division P,
sey's and Mahone's, numbering about 800
men and one battery of four guns were, al
and h I'd been for several weeks, stationed
the .neighborhood of Ely's Ford and Unit
States Ford, on the Rappahannock, guardi
the approaches TO Fredericksburg in that
lcction. 1t was apparent that this sm
force would be entirely inadequate to arr,
ne approach of Hooker's heavy column, a
Vright's brigade was ordered up to tn
-upport- At daylight on Thursday morni
,ne head of Wrights brigade reached Cha
cellorsviile, at which point Posey and
hone had concentrated their forces will
view of making a stand. Maj. Gen. And
son having also arrived in the latter part
the night, and having obtained further inf
nation of the number of the Yankee fore
upon consultation with his brigade comm
der, determined to fall back from Chanc
lorsvile, in the direction of Fredericksbu
five miles, to point where the Old N
road LEADING from the limited States r.