teries of four guns in each infantry division, which, for the eight divisions, is one hundred and twenty-eight guns, seventy-two guns in the reserve artillery, and twenty-four with the Cavalry-a total of two hundred and twenty-four guns.

Using the figures of the extracts from the Morning Reports of the Army of Northern Virginia, we have for its numbers "present for duty," May 1, 1864, not less than

making a grand aggregate of officers and enlisted men of infantry, artillery, and cavalry of 61,953, with probably two hundred and twenty-four guns.

CHAPTER II.

THE PASSAGE OF THE RAPIDAN-THE BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS.

On the 2d of May the order for the movement of the Army of the Potomac was issued.'

The movement began promptly at midnight of the 3d, Major-General Sheridan, with two of his cavalry divisions, leading the two infantry columns, one of his divisions, Torbert's, being left to cover the rear of the army. A canvas and a wooden ponton bridge were laid at Germanna Ford, the same at Ely's Ford, and a wooden ponton bridge at Culpeper Mine Ford, five bridges in all, the river being about two hundred feet wide.

The Second Corps, preceded by Gregg's cavalry division, crossed at Ely's Ford, and moved to Chancellorville, followed by the reserve artillery. The Fifth Corps, preceded by Wilson's cavalry division, and followed by the Sixth Corps, crossed at Germanna Ford, and moved to Wilderness Tavern, at the intersection of the Germanna plank road,' by the Orange Court House and Fredericksburg pike. The head of the Sixth Corps halted three miles from Germanna Ford, the rear at the ford.

The trains, except those known as the fighting trains, which accompanied the troops (see the order of movement),

1 See order of May 2, 1864-Appendix D.

2 This road ran from Germanna Ford to Fredericksburg.

crossed at Culpeper Mine Ford and Ely's Ford. They were covered by the cavalry, and had an infantry guard of 1,200 men from each infantry corps.

Gregg's cavalry moved to the vicinity of Piney Branch Church, throwing out reconnoissances on the Pamunkey road and toward Spottsylvania Court House, Fredericksburg, and Hamilton's crossing. Wilson's cavalry moved to Parker's store, on the Fredericksburg and Orange Court House plank road, throwing out reconnoissances to the right on the Orange pike and plank roads, and on the Catharpin and Pamunkey roads.

The head of the Second Corps arrived at Chancellorville at 10 A.M. of the 4th, and the whole corps, with the trains moving with the troops, were at the halting-place designated about 1 o'clock. The whole of the Fifth Corps was up to its position by 2 o'clock. Each of these corps had marched more than twenty miles, and both had assisted in laying the wooden ponton bridges at their crossings of the Rapidan, and had improved the roads leading up the steep river-banks. The Sixth Corps had marched more than sixteen miles, but following the Fifth Corps was later in getting to its haltingground for the night.

The canvas bridges were taken up on the 4th, and joined the corps to which they belonged. The wooden bridges were left for the trains and the Ninth Corps.

"This I re

Respecting this operation General Grant says, garded as a great success, and it removed from my mind the most serious apprehensions I had entertained, that of crossing the river in the face of an active, large, well-appointed, and ably-commanded army, and how so large a train was to be carried through a hostile country and protected." And he might well be gratified at the result, for it was a good day's work in such a country for so large an army with its artillery and fighting trains to march twenty miles, crossing

a river on five bridges of its own building, without a single mishap, interruption, or delay.

It was not practicable, however, to get over all the great trains on the 4th, nor was it expected, as the order of movement shows. In fact it was two o'clock in the afternoon of the 5th of May before they had ceased crossing at Ely's Ford, when the wooden bridge there was taken up and moved to Chancellorville; and it was five o'clock in the afternoon of the 5th of May before they had ceased crossing at Culpeper Mine Ford, when the bridge there was taken up and the ponton train moved one and a half miles from the river. It was in consideration of the fact that it was not practicable in this region to move the great trains along the protected flank of the army simultaneously with the troops, that led to fixing the halting-places of the heads of the infantry columns at Chancellorville and Wilderness tavern, points which they reached early in the day. The troops might have easily continued their march five miles further, the Second Corps to Todd's tavern, the head of the Fifth Corps to Parker's store, and the head of the Sixth Corps to Wilderness tavern; but even that would have left the right too open during the forenoon of the 5th, and it was more judicious to let the troops remain for the night where they had halted, as it made the passage of the trains secure, and the troops would be fresher when meeting the enemy next day, of which there was much probability.

At 1.15 P.M. of the 4th, General Grant telegraphed from Germanna Ford to General Burnside to make a forced march until he reached there. His First Division, General Stevenson, had then arrived at Brandy Station, and his Fourth, the colored division, had marched that morning from Manassas Junction, more than forty miles distant from Germanna Ford. General Stevenson's division crossed the Rapidan at Germanna Ford on the morning of the 5th, and

by the night of the 5th Potter's and Willcox's divisions, coming from Bealeton and from Rappahannock Station, had likewise crossed there and advanced some three miles. General Ferrero's division (Fourth) crossed on the morning of the 6th.

Indications concerning the movements of the enemy were noted before one o'clock in the afternoon of the 4th; some few shots were fired toward Robertson's tavern, and they were observed moving in some force from Orange Court House on the plank road toward New Verdiersville.

Major-General Sheridan having received some information during the day to the effect that the main body of the enemy's cavalry was near Hamilton's crossing, and suggesting that he should proceed against them, the order for movement on the 5th directed him to do so with Gregg's and Torbert's divisions. The army was to move at five o'clock in the morning, General Wilson to proceed to Craig's Meeting House on the Catharpin road, and to keep out parties on the Orange Court House pike and plank road, the Catharpin and Pamunkey roads, and in the direction of Twyman's store and Andrew's tavern or Good Hope Church; General Hancock to move to Shady Grove Church, on the Catharpin road, and extend his right toward the Fifth Corps at Parker's store; General Warren to move to Parker's store and extend his right toward the Sixth Corps at Old Wilderness tavern ; General Sedgwick to move to Old Wilderness tavern, leaving a division to cover the bridge at Germanna Ford, until General Burnside's command arrived. After reaching the points designated the army was to be held ready to move forward. The movement began promptly as ordered.' Let us see what the Army of Northern Virginia was doing to meet this advance of the Army of the Potomac.

1 See order of May 4th-Appendix E.