The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-05-26
OF THE POTOMAC.
Continued from mrs. p.g..J

ARMY Or The POTOMAC.
Continued from nrst page.D
along the railroad. and reached Rristoe
Station only to encounter Hill.
Warren's position was again a critical
one: for. instead Of finding Bristoe Station
held by the Fifth Corps. as had been in
dicatcd to him in Gen. Meade's orders, he
discovered that he was there alone. in the
| immediate vicinity of the whole army of
Lee. and found himself suddenly assailed
| while marching by the flank. But War
rem was equal to the occasion. and by a
| remarkable vigor of action not only ex-
| treated his command from perilous stu
alton, but inflicted a severe blow TO the
Confederates. This action, known as the
| battle of Bristoe, l shall briefly detail.
HILL REFUSED.
As the head of the column Of the Sec
| ond Corps approached. Hill threw forward
a line Of battle towards the railroad: but
Warren knew the locality with the critical
knowledge of an engineer. and forming
| Wehb's Division on the right along the
embankmcnt near Broad Run. he ordered
Iiays's Division to run for the railroad
cut. invisible from the position of both
and the point was reached just in time 70
meet Hills advancing line Of battle. which.
| receiving severe fire from the troops COW
cred by the cut and embankment. and
rakcd by the fire of Ricketts, Battery. fell
| back with heavy loss. Warren Immediately
| advanced thin line in pursuit ard Sc
cured 40 prisoners, two Standards and
five pieces of artillery. The attack fell
mainly on the First and Third Brigades
Of Gen. Webb's Divsion-the former COM
| manded by Col Heath. and the latter by
Gen. Mallon. an accomplished and patri
| otto officer. who was killed in the action
and on the Third Brigade of Gen. Hays's
Division. commanded by Gen. Owen. The
division Of Gen. Caldwell. which had
formed the rear-guard. came up for a mile
or two on the run. and took position on
| the left of Hays: but the action had al
ready been decided. Warren's loss was
comparatively slight.
WARREN MOVED on IN THE NIGHT.
EffectuaI as was the check which War
rem had given Hill. the position of the
former was not one in which he could
| remain. while. at the same time. il was
difficult to withdraw. And now his situa-
ton became more dangerous: for just a
towards sunset the combat closed. Ewelrs
Corps, which had pursued by-roads be-
tween the columns of Warren and Hill.
came up. and this brought the entire force
Of Lee in front Of the Second Corps. New
ertheless. before Lee could make DISPOSE
tons for attack. night came on. and. under
its friendly cover. Warren retired. and
next morning Joined the main body OF the
army massed at Centerville.05)
MEADE WON THE FOOT RACE
Meade was now strongly posted on the
nights of Centerville, and if compelled to
fall back from there. would do 50 into the
Notifications of Washington As no addi-
"a Qf
avail. Lee pushed his advance no further.
His intention had been 10 gain Meade's
| rear, and as this was now completely
foled, he was not minded to essay assault
on the army in position. Resolving. how
ever, not to have made an utterly useless
campaign. he threw forward a thin line
as far as Bull Run. and thus masking his
design, he proceeded TO destroy the Orange
& Alexandria Railroad from that point
southwark to WarrantOn Junction. Having
effectually accomplished that ObjectQ6D he.
on the 18th. began retrograde movement.
LEE RETIRED TO THE RAPPAHANNOCK.
Meade commenced pursuit on the fol-
lowing day. but without overtaking Lee:
and in this movement there occurred no
encounter of a more serious character than
the wOnted indecisiye cavalry cDmbats.
Stuart. with his two divisions of horse.
covered the retrograde movement. and
during the entire march was constantly
engaged i'll skirmishes with the Union
cavalry. One of these affairs was of some
Importance. While on the advance to
wards Warrenton. on the 10Th. Kilpat-
rick's Division skirmished warmly with
HamptonS Division up to clsland Minis.
at the crossing of Broad Run. pn the south
bank of which Hampton took post, under
the personal direction of Stuart. who here
planned a skiiiful manuver TO defeat his
opponent. Fitzpatrick having forced the
crossing by turning the flank of Hampton.
Stuart fell back slowly towards Warren
ton with the view of permitting Fitz Lees
Cavalry Division to come up from Auburn
and attack the Union cavalry i'm flank and
rear. This plan was carried out with some
success. Fitz Lee arriving just below
auckland surprised Kilpatrick's force on
the flank. and Stuart, hearing Fitz Lees
guns. pressed vigorously in front with
Hampton'S Division. 4 stubborn resis-
lance was offered but a charge au fond
finally forced Kipatrick's command to
give way. and he retreated in some con-
fuSion.0S) Lee retired behind the Kappa
hammock.
FIGHT AT KELLY'S FORD.
The Army of the Potomac being pushed
forward as far as WarrentOn. Gen. Meade
was compelled to halt there to await the
/
Railroad. This work, undertaken with
much energy, was accomplished early in
November; and on the 9TH the whole
army continued the advance towards the
Rappahannock in two columns. Gen.
French had command u the left wing,
composed of the First. Second and Third
Corps, and Gen. Sedgwick had command
of the right wing. composed of The Fifth
and Sixth Corps. The left column was di-
rected to cross the Rappahannock at Kel-
ly's Ford. and the right column at Rap
pahannock Station. Lee held position
south of the Rappahannock. i'm the vicinity
of Culpeper. with outposts at Kelly's Ford
on the south bank. and at Rappahannock
Station on the north bank The Third
Corps under Birney had the advance on
kelly's Ford, and on reaching that point,
Birney crossed over a division by wading,
without waiting for the laying of the pom
tOOn-bridges, and advancing an attacking
party. composed of Berdan's Sharpshoot-
ers, the 10th y. Y. the LIST and Goth Ind,
the Sd and 9th Mich, and the 10th Pa.
carried the rife-pits and captured 800
prisoners. The enemy was prevented from
strengthening the force in the works by
Is. Gen. Lee states that Hills attack
was made by two brigades, and extenuates
tbo, hx,c fhnf