Litchfield enquirer., 1864-05-12
Our Army Correspondence.
 WASHINGTON, D. C., May 7th 1864.

DEAR ENQUIRER :-The advance of the grand Army of the Potomac is matter of most ab- sorbing interest throughout the Country. I shall never forget the mixed emotions of joy and pain with which we heard the order of Tuesday (the 3a) to the Army of the Potomac, to aoandon it's pleasant camps and prepare for fatigue and peril. "Deta" of the N. Y. Fri oune and myself had been riding all day, through the open fields stretching from the
 Hail Road to smoky Blue Ridge and dotted With the camps of thousands of brave South erners, around to the once beautiful village of Culpepper, and home by way of "Poney Noun tain."
 III lived within ten miles of "Poney Noun. tain," and had leisure, 1 would visit it fifty times year. ltoverlooks, towards the North, broad undulating valley, nearly as large a, the State of Ct., just by the ragged land at that time) snow-cappsd Blue Ridge on the west the Bull Run on the North, and the beautiful
 hills that shade the winding Rapidan and
 Rappahannock ou the East and South Church spires rise amid tho clustered hamlsts, stately mansions crown each sunny hill top,
 woodland and open fields, dotted with herds, fill up the extended landscape; and, no,c, the clean white cities of the Sons of Freedom, pitched upon every hill side and in every val ley, had spread upon the scene solemn, sad sepulchral beauty.
 Galloping up to General Headquarters, about dark, we found everything in motion: The 2nd Corps, having orders to march at ' o'clock, was oven then falling into line and the 9th and 9th Corps were making active prepara- tons for moving out of Camp at o'clock the next morning.
 Gen. Meade started at o'clock on Wednes- day, taking the road to Germania Ford. Hearing that Gen. Hancock had crossed Ely's Ford. Mir. Ward, of "Harper's," proposed to ride there; and passing baggage and artillery trains, stragglers and contrabands, we reached the ford about noon. Hancock had already crossed in force, and passed down the road to Chancellorsville. Tho Rebel pickets had been driven from the heights at o'clock, and the pontoons laid before o'clock that morning, After "On-the, spot" had taken sketch of the scene, we crossed.the "Rubicon," and mounted the overlooking heights. We stood upon one of the "keys'' to the Rebel Capitol.
 Taking the road over the hills to Culpepper Mine, we passed through a beautiful fertile country. Mir. Ward was wrapped in enthu- siasm, and l got rapped on the head several times by the bending limbs that over hung the road. At last we reached one of the gold mines opposite Culpepper Ford, and struck the road leading from that place to "Old Wilder ness Tavern" These gold mines Abandoned for the last three years) are natural source 'f great wealth to this Country Shaking the hand of Union Citizen who lived close by, md getting some quite important Information rom him about the rebel army, we rode leisure y down to "Wilderness." On the way, we purchased some milk at 50 cents per pint, and were asked for Q donation of .hard-tack" by
 poor white," who, with l.4OO acres of land. was actually suffering for bread At Wilder ness we found Gen. Warren, and learning that Gen. Meade had established his IIcadouarters It Germanla Ford (six miles distanD we hur- ried on. Three miles up tho road Gen. Scdg- wick had already bivouaccd for the night, and it was quite dark when we reached General Headquarters.
 Five o'clock tho next morning found the ar- ny again Ion to Richmond" The programme for the morning was, for Hancock to move town road running South west from Chan 'ellorsville, till he met another road intercept ng it from the Wilderness; Warren as to march 'n the latter road till his left flank connected with the 2nd Corps while Gen. sedgwick was 0 move to Wilderness. Gen. Meade had al- 'eady reached Wilderness, when the report of he 9th N. r. Cavalry being driven in, WAS re- ,sived.
 Gen. Grant was of the opinion that tho main oody of Lees army was moving South, while 'hls diverslon wds to cover the movement. Warren was ordered to feel the rebel strength on our right, about P. M., and found strong force. A dispatch was then sent to Hancock, 10 return and connect his right flank with Warren. The situation at that time was Ger. .ainly dangerous one, as the 9th and 2nd Corps were separated by a space of two or three miles.
 Hancock returned, and had just reached his position when he was attacked by Longstreet. hs immediately advanced his whole force about 100 yards into the woods by the road side, ana getting two guns into position, held his ground most stubbornly, under a very severe musketry fire, for two and half hours. Never was such heavy, continuous musketry fire heard before in battle. Men who have fol- lowed the army from the beginning of the war, listened in dumb admiration to the steady voice of desperate resistance that rose from those black woods. Longstreet was reinforced by Ewell, but still the gallant Hancock met him with the same unwavering front.
 About P. M. the firing ceased, and after slight advance of the right and center, to sa- tisfy Gen. Grant that Lee was still in force,