The National tribune., 1908-05-28


| erai battle - HooRer was left without a
single advodastes affd supporter among
the higher officers sof the Army of the
Potomac, ana it aAs only a question OF
time when flfe would be replaced by
some one who cchfId command the con-
fidence of taose' ,shder him to an extent
Hooker nevef colfd again. % =
/ Hoolier's spies hAft him no doubt that
Lee was masitatihs, and by the begin
! ming of Ja9ei WIS actually executing
some aggressive, ,rffanuver, and what this;
twas must be found out - '~iss"A
r June 3 Lee had started McLawS'S Di-
vision from Fredericksburg to Culpeper
Court House. where it was ito be Joined
by Hoods Division. which had been
marched up from Richmond to the Rap
| idan. Ewell was started after Long
| street. while A. p. HILL in command of
fthe- ewly-organizcd Third corps of the
Confederate army, was left in the de-
fenscs of Fredericksburg. To find out
| what this meant. Sedgwick was directed
over the river at Franklin's Crossing.
and on the morning of June pom
toniers were ordered to throw two
bridges over the Rappahannock in view
of the enemy. The Confederates resist
ed this. and a sharp engagement en-
sued. when. as before, the river was
crossed and the Confederate skirmish-
ers driven away by daring men rowing
over in pontOon boats. Howe's Divi-
sion of the Sixth Corps crossed the riv-
er on the morning of June g., and made
demonstration on Hill's Corps. which
caused Lee to halt Ewell, SO that h.
would be in supporting distance if need
ed
l. Hooker had submitted to Washing
ton the plan of advancing his whole left
across the river and turning Lees right
| flank. but brilliant as this operation
seemed, the authorities at Washington
were naturally disinciined. to authorize
Hooker 10 proceed upon a movement of
such delicacy when he was liable to
| fiatten out as he previously had done,
and thus jcopardize the whole army and
the safety of the National Capital
Stanton and Halleck fully disapproved,
and LINCOLN sent telegram which con-
vcyed his views without Gffense to
Hooker in a homiiy siinile. II would
| not take any risk of being entangied
| upon the river. like an OK jumped half
over fence. and liable to be torn by
dogs front and rear. without fair
chance to gore one way or to kick the
other" While this was not expressed
| in the solemn military jargon of Hal
| leck. it had in it the pith of many
weighty volumes on military science.
Hooker stopped Sedgwick's demon
strations, using these kilograms as a
pretext. tho 1t is unlikely that he really
contemplated scing any farther than he
had. He could not gain any moro
| knowledge of Lees movements or pre-
! vent him from executing them without
bringing on a general battle, for which
| he was not prepared. Lee saw that the
| movement vas only demonstration.
| and therefore started at once to follow
Ewell in joining Longstrcet at Culpeper
| Court House. -
81
The Cavalry Fight mt Brandy station.
Gen. ]. T.. j. Stuart had been tlisap.
pointed, and emapy. of his friends and
i,admirersswithr him,ytha he failed to 1rer
/ Geive the coplmaiHnm made vacant by the
death of JaoksoTi He returned 10 his
| cavalry. howJverG and cxerteda hiInseff
| to the utmost to raise it to the highest
| degree of strength ard efficiency. The
| Union cavalry. Z maS5ed under Stoneman,
/ gave MIN an example af what was nerd
| ed in an opposing nforce, and she gath
| cred 10000 supegj, riders into his regi-
| ments. and an theGmorning of June S
! displayed this command proudly to Gen.
| Lee in grand review upon a beautiful
| open plain cbetweeei Cufpcper Court
| House and Brandy Station 1t has been
! described as one of the most brilliant
| 9pectacles of the war, and Stuart. rid
| ing with weli-foundcd pride at the head
For 10000 unsurpassed horsemen,' diff
/ fused to all the exultation he felt over
| the hmitless possibilities of his superb
command. 1t was 'the pomp and cir
lcuHistance of glorious war" on a scal;.
| but rarely seen in any struggle. No one
| dreamed how near this holiday show
was to the real deadly fighting which
was to usher in the Gettysburg cam
| Daign.
! iuAt thtnconclusiOn of the review Stuart
| established his headquafttrs upon
| Fleetwood Hill. northeast of Brandy
Station and overlooking the wooded
| country surrounding it. Around him,
| well disposed to cover the fords of the
/ Rappahannock, were the five brigades
| of cavalry commanded by the we'll
| tried. dashing leaders. Jones, F'itZhush
| Lee. Beverly Robertson, Wade Hampton
and W, II. j.. Lee.
| Not many miles away lay the Federal
cavalry under Gen. Pleasonton who
had similarly cxerted himself 10 bring
it to a recovery from the strains OF the
useless Stoneman raid That futile
movement had cost the cavalry so hcav-
lily in horses and men that only about
1890 sabers could be mustered in the
three divisions commanded by Gems
Buford. Gregg and Col. Duffie.
Gen. Hooker had ordered PIeasonton
to cross the river. and find out if posi-
make up for his numerical inferiority
'Ames's and RusseiPs Brigades were sent
TO Pleasonton as reserve.
On the other hand. Hooker did not
know of the arrival of Longstrects in
fantry at Culpeper Court House en- the
evening of June Z. fPleasonton was
anxious to distinguish himself and his
cavalry. which, having learned how well
they could handle the enemy at Kelly's
Ford. were mortified at their failure on
the Stoneman raid and eager to make
to the army demonstration of their
capacity for war. Pleasonton merely
knew that the bulk of Stuart's forces
were at Brandy Station, but nothing as
to the position of the various com
mands. He made his plans to strike
at Brandy Station. dsperse the hostile
cavalry'if he should succeed in surpris-
ing it, or to fall back in case of not
being able to dislodgc 1T. He formed
one column of ,Buford's Division and
Ames's Brigade of infantry which was
to cross the RappahannocIl at Beverly
Ford. about two miles above Rappa han
mock Station, and march directly, upon
Brandy Station, afdistance of, four and
one-half mil0s. The other column,
which was UNDER Gregg. consisted o.
two divisions of cavalry and RusselIs
Brigade of infantry This was TO cross
at Kellys Ford and there divide. Duff
iie's Division was to. strike Southwestern
ly in the DIRECTION of Stevensburg to
find out whether the enemy occupied
the road between Chancellorsviile and
Culpeper. and to cover the left. While
he was doing this Gregg, with his own
division. was to ride directly to Brandy
! a. IN.