The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-11-06


that he had under his command tn.
finest army on the planet and that the
defeat Of Leo and the capture Of Rich
mond were q certainty. but there il no
doubt that the Presidents soul was filed
with apprehension which impeled him in
taking his leave OF Hooker 10 impress upon
him the absolute necessity Of putting all
his men into their mex, fight
The turning movement began April -.
the Eleventh. Twelfth and Fifth corps IN
tn" order named TO approach and cross
IN. Rappahannock al k.lly's Ford. while
N. Second was 10 take position behind
Banks Ford. about SIX miles by the dirt
road west OF Fredericksburg. but only
four a. the crow fies. The United States
Ford Just south OF the confluence OF the
Rapldan with the Kappa hammock was also
10 be- used as n crossing point as soon "a
the turning movement from Kelly's Ford
by the way Of Germanna and Ely's fords
should force the enemy to uncover H.
In carrying out these movements il was
evidently Hooker's purpose TO make Lee
believe that his most serious advance
would be by Bank Ford and the Unit ed
States Ford. The movement and demon
straiions wer~ we'll de-ig TO that end.
but the weather was gloomy. rainy and
cold and the roads were in places almost
impossible To make matters worse tn.
Eleventh Corps. which had the swinging
flank. had encountered itself by an over
supply of wagons and rstion-. A. most
the turning operation should have been
completed within two days; and yet this
corps. which was generally regarded ~
the poorest in the army. had buriened
itself with subsistence and grain for eight
days The mistakes wore fatal for
Howard was not only looked upon as the
poorest corps commander in the army
but his troops contained an excess Of
foreigners. with hut poor reput 81 ion
for CELEBRITY and steadinsss The turning
movement was to be covered by Ston~man
with the cavalry, but the strength Of that
arm. which. a. has been stated amount ted
In about II .00o men. was divided and frit-
tered away between himself and his sub
ordinate~
The left wing Of the army. consisting Of
the First. Third and Sixth corps under
Sedgwick. was to cross the river southeast
OF fredericksburg AT Fitzhueh's and
Franklin'E crossings at or before N
o clock on the morning Of the oath But
As a preliminary 10 this movement the
Third Corps WAS required to waste tim.
and strength nv passing in review befo, -
Secretary Sew ard. several foraign Min
listers and a larz. body Of civilians.
Considering the broad river. irs deep
valley and the fortified heights hack Of
fredericksburg. IL il needless to say that
none Of tho steps in this complicated move
nisnt VAS taken IN TIM" Delay and a
certain lack Of confident resolution char
acterized them all But nv noon ~ the
18th th. Eleventh and Twelfth corps.
covered by the cavalry and closely fol-
lowed by the Fifth Coip-. were we'll
strung OUT on the road q om kellys Ford
on the Rappshannock to Gerrnanna Ford
on tho Rapidan. They met with no seri-
qua resistance. Indeed their march
throughout was practically Unknown to
the snemy. and ~ the distance between
the two fords was short of ten miles and
the d stance from the last ment Toned ford
Of the Rapidan 10 Old Wilderness Tavern
was lea. than five miles more the whole
ma rch should have been completed before
: q clock that night. But history records
chat while the whole Eleventh Corps had
crossed the Rapidan ny II O'Clock p. NJ.
the Twelfth Corp~ was still crossing at
m din ght Both bivouarkei south Of the
river four miles short OF the first impor-
tant objective
Meade march from Kelly $ Ford 20 Ely q
Ford. further east. was a lit,le longer. but
.as completed by 40 p. VI. Without
waiting IN lay q bridge. although the
~ Gather was rainy and cold. his men
ford-d IN. river. but instead Of pushing
on 10 Charlottesville. Just four miles
further. they also went into hIvouac.
Pa picisn. but instead Of holding a con-
rlnuous front on the turnpike from Old
Tavern to Charlottesville.
only four miles apart. the EleS enih and
7 xeifrh corps had lost touch with the
Fifth and all three with the troops At bo. n
I niiAd States and Bank fords
Hooker now found his army divided
and ready nsiiher TO deliver nor to receive
an attack Had Meade continued his
NOV ement to Charlottesville he would
have forced the enemy 10 uncover the
United States Ford and possibly Bank .
Ford also T3u, a. matters then stood he
felt compelled TO order Couch with Two
divisions 81 the Second Corps from the
ren'r. 10 establish connection by way Of
United Stltes Ford with Meade nj EIy'=
Ford bu-. this was not done till late the
next day. The delay Was Rockers rather
han COUGHS Hooker was late in giving
The order. and a. IT docs not s".m IN hav.
reached ,oucn that night he was n-c,s-
.srily slow IN executing Il.
W.
Giut leo. although he knew that all paris
n IInok.-r's army were moving had not
,., fully penetrated III. opponents de
.isns From Sedgwick'. advance he Wa
Inclined ~ believe hat Hooker'. real