The National tribune., 1908-03-26

single brigade toward Charlottesville
and cover the roads. Possibly it was
later than this, for at / o'clock one of
Lees couriers was captured with dis
patch dated at IL O'Clock to Gen. An
derson, and which said, II have just re-
ceived reliable information that the
enemy nave crossed the river in force.
Why have you not kept me informed?
/ wish to see you at my headquarters as
soon as possible
This contradicts Lees subsequent
statement in his official report when he
says: las in the first battle of Fred
ericl1sburg, it was found best to select
positions with a view to resist the ad-
vance of the enemy rather than incur
the heavy loss that would attend any
attempt to prevent his crossing. Our
dispositions were accordingly made as
on the former occasion" AT the time
this note was written three corps were
already in position around Chaneellors
vile, or near thereto, with their lines
of supply in good condition. In the
meantime Sedgwick's threatened demon
strations appeared SO real to Lee and
Longstreet that they kept their men
busy at work on their intrenchments,
while their artillery maintained a
searching fire at the troops across the
river.
IlOohti Iltu fldut
for rapid movements, as each man was
TO carry eight rations upon his person,
except that the fresh beef for five days
was to go on the hoof. Only such wag
ons> were allowed as were necessary to
carry forage for the animals. Each di-
vision was allowed one battery, two am
balances and a pack train for small am
munition. The pontoon trains were
brought up into points sheltered from
the nhgprv1tinn nf fha a 9 as
possible to Banks's and United States
Fords, so as to construct bridges across
them.
Sedgwick's Crossing.
April % the Sixth Corps was at
F'ranklin's Crossing, near the mouth of
Deep Run. The First Corps, under Gen
Reynolds, was about one mile farther
down the river, with the Third Corps,
under Gen. Sickles, a short distance in
the rear. During the night the pontoons
were taken down to the river by hand,
and shortly before daylight Brooke's
Division crossed in the boats, driving
back the enemy's pickets and reserves
and occupying their rife pits.
Gen. Reynolds reports as to this:
Owing to the distance which the
boats had to be carried and the condi-
ton of the road, they did not reach the
river until daylight of the 29th, 20 boats
only being in the water when the enc
my's pickets in their rifle pits opened
with musketry and drove the working
parties away. Our sharpshooters, dis
posed under cover along the bank of
the river, were insufficient to dislodge
the enemy, who were soon reinforced in
their pits by another regiment. AS soon
as the fog cleared and the force of the
enemy could be discerned to be only
that occupying the pits, Gen. Wads-
ytrnQ m ,fe-
below them, and throw over two regi-|
ments, so as to flank the pits and clear
them. The Gath Mich. and 9Th Wis.
regiments (Cols. Mower and Bragg), Sc
iected for this purpose, moved down to
the river bank at double-quick, were
rapidly thrown across in the boats,
ascended the bank and drove off
the enemy, capturing some 80 men
OF the 9Th La. and 23d Ga, includ-
ing several officers. Gen. Wadsworth
crossed with the regiments, and directed
their movements in person. The re-
naming regiments of the brigade were
then crossed in the boats, after which
the bridges were constructed, under the
direction of Gen. Benham, who arrived
from the upper crossing shortly after
daylight.
by 1890 o'clock the bridges were
reported completed. and the other bri-
gades of Gen. Wadsworth's Division
were crossed and put in position to
cover the bridge head. 1t was necessary,
in order to do this completely, to extend
the left well toward the mouth of the
Massaponax, to occupy the high bluff
on the right bank of the river. Our loss
reported in this operation was about 60
in killed and wounded. The other two
divisions of the corps were then brought
down to the vicinity of the crossing and
sheltered in the ravineS of the creek
The enemy commenced moving into DO
sition in great strength from below
about the time the bridges were COM
pleted, occupying the Bowling Green
road with his skirmishers, and in the
railroad cut and rifle pits just behind
the crest (Which were our line of battle
on that part of the field Dec 13, 1852
he was apparently formed in two lines,
with reserves in the woods
This does not give sufficient praise to
the grand courage and enterprise which
Gen. Wadsworth showed here, as he did
at every opportunity. He personally led
his men across the river, in the face of
the heavy fire of the strongly posted
enemy.
Gen. Benham, of the Engineers, set
his men at work, and three bridges
were speedily laid. All day of Wednes-
day, April 29, the troops were held in
readiness to cross, and, as before stated.
JACKSON was making every preparation
to receive them. The next day, April
80, Sickles's Third Corps was moved
back. and started on swift march out
of sight of the enemy for Banks's Ford
Two of the bridges were taken I'D and
sent to that place. Jackson's entire
corps, which constituted two-thirds of
Lees army, was held below Deep Run
to encounter the force that Sedgwick
was constantly threatening to push for
ward.
HOOl<er's Success.
So far Hooker's plans had work ID |
marvelously well, and the men of his |
army, who had become very accurate |
Judges of the skill of movements. fully
appreciated the brilliancy of what had |
been accomplished. They cheered Hook
ersto the utmost when he arrived among
them about O'Clock in the afternoon
of April so. Their applause was well
merited. About 13 divisions or nearly
$4,000 effective combatants were on the
point of being massed Immediately
around Chancellorsville after having
crossed two rivers and penetrated the
Wilderness. All this was done without
the loss of a gun, a horse or a wagon
Their movements had been exactlyl
timed. and had Joined with the others
like cloclworlI Lee had been completely
outgeneraled, the army was in COM
position on the nights above
and success seemed to
be within easy reach. Hooker himself