. Battle fields and camp fires. A narrative of the principle military operations of the civil war from the removal of McClellan to the accession of Grant. (1862-1863) . s cut off from the remainderof the Confederate army. Only by hard riding, by outstripping andpassing round the head of the Union column, could Stuart rejoin Lee,and give to his revered chief his aid in the decisive battle whichthe advance of so formidable a Federal force portends. It is night by the time the Federal column reaches the fordsby which the Rapidan is to be crossed. Four feet of water, stillicy with the lingering ch
. Battle fields and camp fires. A narrative of the principle military operations of the civil war from the removal of McClellan to the accession of Grant. (1862-1863) . s cut off from the remainderof the Confederate army. Only by hard riding, by outstripping andpassing round the head of the Union column, could Stuart rejoin Lee,and give to his revered chief his aid in the decisive battle whichthe advance of so formidable a Federal force portends. It is night by the time the Federal column reaches the fordsby which the Rapidan is to be crossed. Four feet of water, stillicy with the lingering chill of winter, flowed swiftly in the channelof the river. The pontoons on which the Rappahannock was crossedwere coming up in the rear of the army, but to get them to thespot, and to lay the bridge, would take several hours. Full of enthu-siasm over their chances of victory in the impending battle, the menplunged cheerfully into the stream and made their way across. Thecavalry crossed a few yards below the infantry, and more than onefoot-soldier who was swept away by the fierce current, was caughtand saved from drowning by the horsemen. All night long the cross-. FORDING THE RAPIDAN. BATTLE FIELDS AND CAMP FIRES. 173 ing went on. Huge fires were built on the banks, and cavalrymenstanding in the stream held blazing torches to shed a light on thedark surface of the rushing waters. Infantry, cavalry, long trains ofrumbling cannon, scores of wagons dragged by floundering mules,ambulances, and all the vast concourse of vehicles that follow in thewake of a huge army, crossed by the ford that night, while the luridglare of the torches shone on the black bosom of the Rapidan, orflickered among the bare branches of the trees that bordered theriver on either hand. Twenty-four hours later this portion of theUnion army was at Chancellorsville, and was joined by Hooker, whocried out in exultation as he saw the lines of his mighty armyextending on every side: The rebel army is now the legiti
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidbattlefields, bookyear1890
