The National tribune., 1904-06-09
THE WILDERNESS.


Successful Passage of the Rapidan-Lee's
Flank Turned-Both Generals Surprised.
Lee Accepts the Gage of Battle-Desperate
struggle and Awful Slaughter in the
Gloomy Thickets, With No Decided Advan-
tage to Either Side.
The defensive line for many months
occupied by the Confederates along the
bluffs that skirt the south bank of the
Kapidan was so strong by nature and art
that direct attack was out of the ques-
ton. Lee as little feared as Grant de-
signed such an attack. and both the defen-
sive preparations of the former and the of
fenslve preparations of the latter contem-
plated turning movement upon the right
or the left flank of the Confederate line.
1t only remained to choose the direction
to be given the advance-whether by the
right or the left.
The views of Gen. Grant strongly ia
vored an operation against Lees left,
crossing the Rapidan above that flank.
Ihis plan was recommended by the con-
slderation that an advance by this line
would cover the communications with
washington against any contingency of a
counter-move northward by Lee, and force
him directly back towards Richomnd. 1t
was, however. attended with the serious
difficulty that the dura tion of the campaign
would be limited by the amount of rations
that could be carried with the army, since
il would be impracticable to keep up a line
of supplies in an advance by that route.
This objection was of sufficient weight to
determine the adoption of the other alter
native, which was to cross the Rapidan by
the lower fords and turn Lees right.
MOVEMENT THAT BEGAN THE FINISH OF
LEE.
Quitting the camps in which it had lain
during the Winter, the army moved at mid
aitrhf af ft,a of
the Rapidan was made in two columns:
the right column. made up Of the corps of
Warren and Sedgwick, TO cross at Ger
mamma Ford; the left column, consisting
Of Haneock's Corps, at Ely's Ford, six
miles below.
Warren's Corps. forming the advance
or the right column, marched from the
vicinity of Culpeper, and, preceded by
Wilson's Cavalry Division, reached Ger
mamma Ford at 6 o'clock Of the morning
of Thursday, the 4th; and as soon as the
bridge was laid, began the passage. which
was completed by / o'clock. During the
afternoon, Sedgwcks Corps followed
the river. Warren, advancing some miles
southwark from the Rapidan, bivoua cked
at Old Wilderness Tavern at the point of
intersection of the plankroad from the
Germanna Ford with the turnpike from
Orange Court House to Fredericksburg.
Cavalry was, in the afternoon, thrown out
towards Robertson's Tavern to watch the
directions whence any hostile menace
might be expected. The left column, con-
sisting of Hancock's Corps. moved from IFS
encampment near Stevensburg, and ad-
vanced to Ely's Ford, (0O) preceded by
Greggs Division of Cavalry. When the
corps reached the Rapidan the cavalry was
well across, and had the canvas pontoon-
bridge laid. This work being soon COM
pleted, the infantry made the passage and
pushed forward to Charlottesville, which
place it reached at 0 in the morning Of the
4th, the cavalry being thrown out toward
Fredericksburg and Todds Tavern. At
Charlottesville, Hancock's troops rested
for the remainder of the day, awaiting the
passage of the heavier column on the right.
The troops bivouacked for the night on
Hooker's old battle-ground.
ACROSS THE RAPIDAN.
Thus the morning of Thursday, the 5th
Of May, found 100000 men across the
Rapidan. The barrier that had SO long
divided the opposing armies was passed,
and with mingled emotions which grand
and novel enterprises stir in mems breasts
the troops looked out, hopefully, yet con-
scious that terrible struggle was before
them, into region yet untrodden by the
hostile armies, but soon to become historic
by fierce grapple of armed hosts and
bloody battles in many tangled woods.
Lee had offered no opposition to the pas
sage OF the Rapidan. His right was turned
Was this TO be considered a great success ?
The answer will depend on the line of
action marked out for himself by Gen. Lee.
In the defense of rivers, military art
presents several distinct lines of conduct.
j. The General on the defensive may per-
NIT the crossing Of part Of the assail-
ing force, and then. by destroying the
means of passage, seek to overwhelm the
isolated fraction. (9l) 2. He may oppose
directly the passage of the hostile army,
or, by occupying advantageous positions,
prevent it from deploying. (92) 3. He
may allow the enemy to make the passage
entirely unobstructed, but fall upon him
after crossing. In this case he simply OBJ
serves the line of the river, and holds his
masses distributed at convenient points
within supporting distance.
LEES PLAN FOR DEFENSE.
This last method was that adopted by
Gen. Lee; and, as the line to be defended
long, and it was uncertain whether
Grant would essay a turning movement
on his left toward Gordonsville or on his
right by the lower fords, he had along the
river merely a force in observation, while
his main masses were positioned in eche-
so. Gen. Grant, in his official report (p
81. inadvertently states that the Second
Corps crossed at United States Ford but
Elys Ford was the point of passage.
81. The conduct of the Archduke Charles
at Essling, Is good example of this See
Vial: Cours dart ct dHistoire Militaires
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