96 



ARMY OPERATIONS. 



The 9th corps, under Gen. Burnside, was en- 

 camped at "Warrenton. On May 1st he issued 

 the following address to his troops: 



HEADQUARTERS 9TH ARMY CORPS, ) 



"WARRENTON JUNCTION, VA., May 1, 1S64. j 



The General commanding publishes the following 

 instructions to the men just entering the service ot 

 the country. He expects that every old soldier who 

 has learned their value by experience, will join in 

 impressing their importance on those who are now 

 to share with him the. honor of a soldier's life. 



On the march no soldier should quit the ranks, on 

 any pretence whatever, without permission of his 

 commanding officer. The army is about to move 

 into the country of an active enemy, with no friendly 

 force behind or near it, and every straggler runs the 

 risk of Libby Prison or a bullet. 



No soldier should leave camp without his musket ; 

 nor, on any consideration, whether on the march or iu 

 action, take off the haversack, canteen, or cartridge- 

 box. 



He should sleep with his arms within reach. 



Washing the feet at night, soaping the stockings, 

 and greasing the shoes will prevent foot-soreness. 



Cavalry and artillery should husband their forage. 

 Every soldier should endeavor to make his rations 

 hold out longer than the time for which they were 

 issued. A little saving may save a day's starving. 

 It is well to make little bags, or some secure pack- 

 ages, for coffee, salt, and sugar. If mixed in the 

 haversack they become worthless. 



Blankets and overcoats should never be thrown 

 away, no matter how tired or hot one may be. Cold 

 nights follow hot days. The chief point in health 

 and comfort is to sleep warm. At the same time 

 the recruit should not overload his knapsack ; by 

 endeavoring to carry many comforts he may be com- 

 pelled to throw away all. 



He should never waste a cartridge nor a cap ; the 

 time may come when every one will tell. 



When on picket duty he must remember that the 

 f safety of the whole army may depend upon his vigi- 

 lance. He should observe and report every unusual 

 sound. If attacked he must remember that a cool 

 and determined party, acting on the defensive and 

 properly protecting themselves, can keep at bay 

 many times their number, and thus give time to their 

 comrades to form and come to their support. 



In action he should keep cool, not loading in haste, 

 but tearing the cartridge and pouring in all the pow- 

 der before putting in the ball. He should aim de- 

 liberately, aim low, and pull the trigger slowly. One 

 shot in five minutes, well aimed, is better than five 

 in a minute without aim. 



He should never leave the ranks to carry off the 

 wounded without permission of his officer; the 

 ambulance attendants will take care of them, and 

 he must feel that his first duty is to stand by his com- 

 rades in the fight. 



Spies and persons in citizen's dress found lurking 

 in our lines with hostile intent, should be immedi- 

 ately turned over to the Provost Guard. 



Prisoners of war, wounded or not, should be treated 

 with that soldierly kindness and consideration which 

 the 9th corps has always honorably shown, and which 

 Is due to an open enemy. 



The General Commanding desires to express to the 

 9th corps that he feels the same confidence in them 

 now that he has ever felt in times past, and has ever 

 found just cause for feeling. He believes that they 

 will do their duty thoroughly and heartily on all oc- 

 casions aud under all circumstances. 



By command of Maj.-Gen. BURNSIDE. 



, EDWARD 11. NEILL, Ass't Adj. -Gen. 



Acting as a reserve upon the advance of the 

 army Gen. Burnside followed to the banks of 

 the Rapidan, but did not cross over. 



The army of Gen. Lee consisted of t'nree corps 



under Lieut.-Gens. Longstreet, A. P. Hill, and 

 Ewell, and occupied a position around Orange 

 Court House, south of Culpepper Court House. 



The plan of Lieut.-Gen. Grant in his advance 

 upon Richmond was to follow a line nearly cor- 

 responding to the route of the Fredericksburg 

 and Richmond railroad, making his base at 

 Aquia Creek. For this purpose he moved down 

 the right of the position of Gen. Lee, and was 

 prepared either to accept a battle from him on 

 the Rapidan or to continue his march to Spott- 

 sylvania Court House. But Gen. Lee would 

 not consent to be outflanked, and ultimately 

 endanger his railroad communication with 

 Richmond. He, therefore, prepared to resist 

 the progress of Lieut.-Gen. Grant, and com- 

 menced a rapid movement of his forces par- 

 allel with the course of the river. Lieut.-Gen. 

 Longstreet's corps started from Gordonsville, 

 Lieut.-Gen Hill took the plank road, and Lieut.- 

 Gen Ewell the old turnpike which joins the 

 plank. The two latter arrived in front of Lieut.- 

 Gen. Grant's forces on Thursday morning. 

 Early on that morning his forces began to 

 move. The 5th corps, under Maj.-Gen. "War-- 

 ren, advanced from its position near "Wilderness 

 Tavern along the roads leading to Orange 

 Court House, five miles to Parker's Store. It 

 is here that the Germania Ford road debouches 

 into the old turnpike. This point is in Spottsyl- 

 vania county, about eight miles above Chan- 

 cellorsville, and twenty below Orange Court 

 House. The whole face of the country in that 

 neighborhood is thickly covered with an under- 

 growth of field pines, cedars, and scrub oaks, 

 and therefore utterly unfit for the use of cav- 

 alry or artillery. Maj.-Gen. Sedgwick with the 

 6th corps was to follow, and Maj.-Gen. Hancock 

 with the 2d corps was to stretch southwesterly 

 from Chancellorsville toward Shady Grove 

 Church. Gen. Sheridan covered the extreme 

 left beyond Maj.-Gen. Hancock, with the ob- 

 ject of finding the enemy's cavalry under Gen. 

 Stuart. The effect of these movements was to 

 bring Maj.-Gen. Sedgwick on the right, Maj.- 

 Gen. Hancock on the left, and Maj.-Gen. War- 

 ren in the centre of the line extending nearly 

 five miles. The centre was thrown a little for- 

 ward, the wings not having reached the best 

 position, and then the action commenced. 



At noon, Gen. Griffin, whose advance had 

 been driven in, was ordered to push the 1st di- 

 vision of the 5th corps out to the right and left 

 of the turnpike and feel the enemy. An ad- 

 vance of less than a mile, stretching across the 

 turnpike, brought them in contact with the 

 enemy under Lieut.-Gen. Ewell, posted on a 

 wooded declivity. A sharp engagement ensued 

 for an hour, when the pressure of the enemy 

 could no longer be resisted. Gen. Griffin's di- 

 vision was driven back, leaving two pieces of 

 artillery in the enemy's hands. The 4th divi- 

 sion, under Gen. "Wadsworth, and the 2d, under 

 Gen. Robinson, now advanced, relieving Gen. 

 Griffin, and holding the enemy in check. The 

 Federal loss was about one thousand men. 



