New-York tribune., 1911-10-01
The Battle of the Wildernt

took Meade'g rear guard Al Bristoe Station
and pitched in They might better have re-
Trained. for not only were they beaten on
but three generals were wounded. five hun
dred men killed or wounded and as many
more with numerous guns and faGs capt
ured. The mosquito had drawn blood.
Scratching the sore spot Lee drew back.
/ II was nov October 1S Damaging the rail
road as much as he could, he returned 70
. tho Rapdan.
Neither general escaped criticism Lee
because he Jared worse than the French
King. who get off all his men after march
ing them up the famous hill; Meade un-
Justly. FOR what looked Ike retreat. The
latter had not only OWNED Lees motives,
but had succeeded i'm choosing a spot for a
LATHE where I.ec dared not fight md had
retreaJed himself
General Meade now advanced on the
cbossbosrd with the idea OF checking Lee
THE Confederate leader had taken a posi-
tion ON the south side Of the Rappahan-
rock. with strong line Of Notifications on
the northern bank at Rappahannock Nta-
tiop Tho other end was near Kelly's Ford.
The Union army moving in TWO wings the
lef; under General French and the right
under General Sedgwick, moved down 10
tbe river. The left crossed at kellys Ford
capturing rife pits and large number OF
prisoner. II met with little resistance
and was finally stayed in fits progress TO
await the advance Of Sedgwick, who had
encountered more serious obstacles al Rap
pabauuocx station. Throughout the entire
.f-arnoon the latter could make no prog
rcss.
Tbon one of the curious incidents OF the
war oCcurrcG-curious. because the impress
sio1s and the results were so different troh
what one would expect from the condl-
tious Toward night General D. y. kus-
ssu Of Sodgwicks corps, proposed TO storm
tb, works Receiving permission. he at
tackled with such energy in The gathering
darkness that the enemy got the lmpioS-
sion that the enterprising little army Oh
three thousand men was twenty or t"eh-
tr-fro thousand" as the Confederate COM
uauder aftorvard reported The Ohion
,roors cot inside the works and in q
1d-to-bsnd scufle" which continued
,crbaps half an hour. they completely mas
t,red almost without bloodshed, force
practically equal 60 Themselves.
While this was going on Lee and Eary
stood together ON the southern bahh' o'-
go,,,inp the progress Of the fight The III
t,,., ceased They thought IL meant That inc
t-odors1 attack had been repulsed. Ihrl'
,..,.ros.i,p was thoroughly changed WAen
,bo fyaitivos came rushing over the DrlpSe
and dashing up the bank, dripping WIN
t,t. fc,. water Of tine river through WHICH
g,o,. Rad inst escaped by swimming. in d
,.a,,ic thev told the story ~ the "lSas'e'
Tho. had lost. besides artillery. SIX hiufu'
.,,i..,.-,ine wounded and l629 missing
T t,..,l-ods of others had escaped aitef sur
-enderiug. including General lla5 >. ''s ~ ~
tolerate officer in command. Ihe '"'"'
loss i'm this remarkable cxploi "aS onls
two KILLED. At Kelly's Ford Ice IoS, '''
piued dftv-nine wounded and 70 rlissh"'
Tho Union campaign 50 brI'Iahu.
,lapnod stopped on that spot ihe HeN'
has, vas thick and misty. There We're I''
,,,,,,.,esaIrces Of which nothing came. Le''
melancholy al having nothing 10 80
hiy thirty DAYS campaign except noie '''
/ tia lire where 300 men had nee" ~ 49, -
,,,..~.bed away A month before. feuTtu ~
ris former camp south Of inc i'Hi
rrbinking that the years caiipdlb"'"I
oyer lac scattered his men over col'S'u.'
,,Ie territory for convenience in l''''''H
,,ou, his left wing heavily H'u
( ,cstine OH Mine Ron tiny iriou'ars ~
R,pidan west of the Wilderness
g., General Lee thought Meade was. 81
/ ding down for Tho winter ~ ""' ~ r-r,c,,
J , fortnight passed during "hlcn ''' had
general was planning d caihp''S"