ARMY OPERATIONS. 



95 



On the same day camp vras broken up, and 

 with six days' rations the army was put in mo- 

 tion in light marching order. About 2 p. M. 

 the division of cavalry commanded by Gen. 

 Gregg, with a part of the canvas pontoon train, 

 moved toward Richardsville and were engaged 

 till late at night in repairing the roads to Ely's 

 Ford. Soon after midnight a crossing was 

 prepared by throwing two bridges over to the 

 south shore. At the same time Gen. Wilson, 

 in command of the 3d cavalry division, advanced 

 to Germania Ford, eight miles above, and there 

 prepared another bridge with canvas pontoons. 

 About midnight the 2(1 corps, under Maj.-Gen. 

 Hancock, began to move down the Stevensburg 

 and Richardsvi lie road to Ely's Ford. The 

 entire corps were on the march before 3 A. jr., 

 and crossed soon after daylight. At the same 

 time the 5th corps, under Maj.-Gen. Warren, be- 

 gan to move. The advance, consisting of two 

 divisions of infantry and a portion of artillery, 

 passed through Stevensburg soon after mid- 

 night, closely followed by the remainder of the 

 corps, and destined to Germania Ford. This 

 corps was closely followed by the 6th corps, un- 

 der Maj.-Gen. Sedgwick, which left its camp at 

 4 A. M. It was the forces at Culpepper Court 

 House which moved by the old plank road and 

 crossed at Germania Ford. Those at Brandy 

 Station, Catlett's, Are., on the Alexandria rail- 

 road, moved by the old turnpike, crossing the 



Rappahannock at Ely's Ford, four miles below 

 the junction of the Rapidan and the Rappaban- 

 nock rivers. Germania Ford is about twelve 

 miles and Ely's Ford about four miles from 

 Chancellorsville. Orange Court House is about 

 twenty-seven miles and Wilderness Tavern 

 about twenty-two miles from Chancellorsville. 

 From points between Chancellorsville and Wil- 

 derness Tavern, roads lead to Gordonsville, 

 Louisa Court House and Frederick's Hall, on 

 the Virginia Central Railroad, in distances 

 varying from twenty to thirty miles. From 

 these places there are good roads leading direct 

 to Richmond, which is distant between forty- 

 two and fifty-four miles ; and also good roads 

 to Hanover Junction. 



The crossing was effected during the day 

 by these three corps without opposition. 

 The pickets of the enemy withdrew quietly 

 from the river, and the cavalry of Gen. 

 Gregg advanced toward Chancellorsville with- 

 out finding the enemy anywhere in force. 

 Gen. Wilson's cavalry moved up the road to 

 Parker's store, toward Orange Court House, 

 the position of the enemy. The infantry 

 and artillery followed in the direction of 

 Chancellorsville and the Wilderness. The 2d 

 corps camped on the old battle-field at Chan- 

 eellorsville ; the 5th at the old Wilderness 

 Tavern, and the 6th at the Tavern and at Ger- 

 mania Ford. 



