The National tribune., 1908-06-11

Chambersburg the people of the North
were convinced that the whole Of Lees
army WAS now upon them, this was far
from being the fact June II, as the
people of Harrisburg were in deadly
fear each hour of seeing the Confeder-
ate troops S%arminS over the nils te
the southwark, Jenkins suddenly turn
ed back with all the booty that he could
carry off to join Gen. Rodes, who COM
manded the only Confederate force then
north of the Potomac. This force was
his division at Williamsport. where
Ewell was waiting for the other corps
to come up. Gen. Lee had remained at
Culpeper to be in touch with Hill, whom
he had left on Marye's flights to watch
any effort that Hooker might make &c
cross the river and counter-thrust al
Richmond. Lees mind was relieved or
this score by news coming from Hill
that all the Army of the Potomac had
| disappeared from the nights arounC
| Falmouth. Hill at once started to joif
| Lee at Culpeper, and Lee then set every
man in motion toward the Shenandoah
| Valley and the Potomac. Lee expected
| that Longstreet would make a diversion
on the eastern side of the Blue Ridge
and ordered Stuart to cover this by
l
ward the railroad in the rear of tht
| I'cderals. Owing to the Yankee cav.
airy, Stuart was unable to do this, and
/ it was of the greatest importance t.
the fate of the campaign on which boil
| armies were now embarked.
Hooker's Movements.
.. Hooker remained in the graves
doubts as to what Lees real purpose:
| Ar q a
clined TO believe that Lee was going
! into the Shenandoah Valley merely Il
cover grand cavalry raid by Stuar
] into Maryland and Pennsylvania. A
I other times Hooker feared, with reason
| that Lee was meditating against hin
1 such blow as he had delivered veal
ibefore against Pope. and Hooker made
/ exertions not to arrow himseh 10 d.
caught in the same manner. Pope hat
| been beaten by obeying Halleck's or.
ders to hold the line of the Rappahan
mock to the last. This enabled Lee t.
send Stonewall Jackson thru one of tn,
gaps in front of Pope into the Shenan.
doah Valley. pass clear around hi:
flank, come thru Thoroughfare Gap a
his rear, and strike the railroad a
Manassas. Pope would not have beer
so outgeneraled If it had not been fol
his reliance upon Halleck's bringing the
Army of the Potomac up to take care
Of his rear.
Hooker made admirable plans agaiEs
any repetition of such disastrous blow
He moved his army with the highest
skill, with each corps marches adjust
ed to the positions of the others, sc
that every hour the whole force was in
co-operation. The campaign began
with a general movement of the corps
to a line where the enemy could be met
in force. whether he came across the
Upper Rappahannock by the way OF
Waterloo and sulphur Springs, OF
whether he should choose to come again
thru Thoroughfare Gap and strike al
Manassas.
On June 10 the cavalry had come
back from the fight at Brandy Station
and gone into camp in the neighbor-
hood of Warrenton Junction. The next
day the Third Corps. acting upon the
Information obtained, marched from
Falmouth to HARDWOOD Church to
strengthen the force guarding the fords
of the Upper Rappahannock.
June ~ the First Corps, which had
been plying at White Oak Church. took
the Third Corps's place at Hartw5od
Church, while that force advanced to
Realeton on the railroad. and threw
forward one division to more closely
observe the Rappahannock.
The Eleventh Corps, which had been
lying at Brooks Station. on the Aqua
Creek Railroad, also marched toward
HARDWOOD Church. making a strong con-
centration of three corps on that flank
July IL the First Corps marched to
Realeton to still further strengthen that
flank, while the Fifth Corps, which had
been lying near Banks's Ford, moved
up to Morrisville to additionally stiffen
the Right Wing Of the army should Lee
attempt to cross the Rappahannock in
force.
The Eleventh Corps then pushed on
to Catlett's Station to guard the rail-
road, while the Second, Sixth and
Twelfth Corps began moving toward
Aqua Creek as a general reserve. The
Twelfth Corps had been lying near
Stafford Court House, while the Second
and Sixth were directly in front of
Fredericksburg. From Aqua Creek they
could march to Dumfries. where they
would be within supporting distance of
any force sent to Manassas.
At Manassas AgnIn.
June II. Hooker becoming convinced
that Lee did not intend to come across
the Rappahannock, decided that Manas-
sas was more likely his objective He
moved the headquarters of the Army
of the Potomac from Falmouth to Dunn
iiicS, u WHlCn pace also TndTcneQ the
Sixth and Twelfth Corps. The First
Third. Fifth and Eleventh Corps. which
had been forming for two days the ex-
treme right of the army, now became
its left, and began extending the line
toward Manassas with the Eleventh
Corps passing on thru Manassas and
taking up position at Centerville.
June Is the headquarters of the Army
of the Potomac moved from Dumfries
to Fairfax Station. The Second Corps,
of which Gen. Hancock had assumed
command June 8. moved from Fal-
mouth to near Aqua Creek. The Sixth
Corps marched from Aqua Creek to
Dumfries. while the Twelfth Corps went
on to Fairfax Court House. June 16
the Second Corps advanced to Wolfrun
Shoals, on the Occoquan. while the Sixth
Corps advanced to Fairfax Station, June
II the First Corps was pushed out as
far to the right as Herndon Station,
while the cavalry went on to Aldie to-
watch the gap thru the Bull Run Noun
tains. This put the Army of the Poto-
mac in strong position with all its
corps well in hand between Lee and