In three days they had
marched forty-six miles over bad roads, had forded breast-high two
difficult rivers, established several bridges, and captured over a
hundred prisoners.* (* The troops carried eight days' supplies: three
days' cooked rations with bread and groceries in the haversacks; five
days' bread and groceries in the knapsacks; five days' "beef on the
hoof." The total weight carried by each man, including sixty rounds
of ammunition, was 45 pounds. The reserve ammunition was carried
principally by pack mules, and only a small number of waggons crossed
the Rappahannock. Four pontoon bridges were laid by the engineers.
One bridge took three-quarters of an hour to lay; the other three,
one and a half hour to lay, and an hour to take up. Each bridge was
from 100 to 140 yards long. O.R. volume 25 pages 215, 216.) Heavy
reinforcements were in rear. The two divisions of the Second Corps
had marched from Banks' Ford to United States Ford, six miles from
Chancellorsville; while the Third Corps, ordered up from the Stafford
Heights, was rapidly approaching the same point of passage. Thus,
70,000 men, in the highest spirits at the success of their
manoeuvres, were massed in rear of Lee's lines, and Hooker saw
victory within his grasp.
Pages:
1445
1446
1447
1448
1449
1450
1451
1452
1453
1454
1455
1456
1457
1458
1459
1460
1461
1462
1463
1464
1465
1466
1467
1468
1469