Headquarters Army Of Potomac
(not Far From Rappahannock River)
November 7, 1863
. . . This morning, forward march! horse, foot, and
artillery, all streaming towards Dixie; weather fresh and fine, nothing to mar
but a high wind, and, in some places, clouds of dust. Everyone was hearty;
there was General Hays, in bed with rheumatism, but he hopped up, and got on
his horse, remarking that, “if there were any Rebs to catch, he was all well.”
Our last Headquarters were on the Warrenton branch railroad, half a mile north
of it and three miles from Warrenton Junction. This morning, about 8.30, when
all the troops were reported under way, the General started and rode, first to
Warrenton Junction, and then down the railroad, towards the Rappahannock. At a
rising ground, where a smoke-stained chimney marked the ruins of “Bealton,” we
halted. Hence we could see a considerable distance, in both directions, and
here was canny Warren, waiting while his corps filed past, his little black
eyes open to everything, from the grand movements of the entire army down to
the inscription on my sword-guard, which he immediately detected, and read with
much gravity. The last I saw of him he climbed on his big white horse and
remarked with a wink: “As soon as I get there, I shall bring on a general
action, right off.” It was here that I had quite a surprise. Looking through my
glass at General Webb's division, I detected two civilians, in English-looking
clothes, riding with the Staff. As they approached, it seemed to me that the
face of one was familiar; and as they rode up, behold, to be sure, the Hon. Mr.
Yorke, who was our fellow passenger and played on the fiddle and admired the
baby! He was in the Royal Artillery, you know, and had come down to see what he
could. And there he was, much covered with dust, but cheerful and pleasant to
the last.
It was a fine sight to see the great, black columns of
infantry, moving steadily along, their muskets glittering in the sun (for the
day was quite perfect as to clearness), and then the batteries on the flank,
and, in the rear, the train of ambulances preceded by their yellow flag. As the
masses drew near, they resolved themselves, first into brigades, then into
regiments, and then you could distinguish the individual soldiers, covered with
dust and bending under their heavy packs, but trudging manfully along, with the
patient air of old sojers. And so we kept on to these Headquarters; but we were
only half way (at 1.30), when bang! bang! we heard the cannon, in the
direction of Rappahannock station. It was General Sedgwick attacking the
enemy's works on this side of the river. We had not got a mile, when whang!
whang! in another direction, announced General French preparing to force
Kelly's Ford. For, at these two points, among others, we proposed to cross and
wake up our Uncle Lee. The gallant General did not wait to play long shots or throw
pontoon bridges. An entire division took to the water, forded the river, in
face of the enemy, and, charging up the opposite bank, took 300 prisoners. The
Rebs threw forward a supporting division, but the crafty French had established
guns on this side of the river, that suddenly opened on them and drove them
back. All the afternoon Sedgwick has been engaged against the rifle-pits and a
redoubt, that the enemy held on this side of the river. Quite late, we
got a despatch that he had driven them from their rifle-pits, and we thought he
had done pretty well for an afternoon. But, just at dusk, the distant roll of
musketry indicated that he was assaulting; and a telegraph has just come, that
he has taken the redoubt with four cannon, and some prisoners; I do not yet
know how many. So we go to sleep, encouraged and hopeful. Our losses I do not
know, but they can hardly be much, as but a portion has been engaged. . . .
SOURCE: George R. Agassiz, Editor, Meade’s
Headquarters, 1863-1865: Letters of Colonel Theodore Lyman from the Wilderness
to Appomattox, p. 42-4
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