Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 40.djvu/54

50 some point below Fredericksburg with the aid of gunboats, seizing Bowling Green and the railroad, and throwing General Lee off his direct communications with Richmond was much considered. Brigadier General Warren, chief topographical engineer, reported that to cross the river so as to gain the heights below Lee's entrenchments, required the secret movement of pontoon trains and artillery for more than twenty miles over roads which were impassable, and that the first available point below Skinker's Neck would require one thousand feet of bridging, which in his judgment made a movement by that flank impracticable. The same authority looked upon a crossing immediately above Fredericksburg as scarcely more promising. He described the river as narrowing at Beck's Island two miles and a half above Fredericksburg, the bluffs a hundred and fifty feet in heighthheight [sic] on either side, "coming in close to the river, with steep wooded slopes cut by ravines, and difficult of approach."

The first favorable conditions for approach which presented themselves to him were found at Banks' ford about six miles above by the road, though owing to a bend in the river only three miles from Fredericksburg on the south side. The river at the time of the report was not fordable, and he found it protected on the opposite side by several lines of intrenchmentsentrenchments [sic] rising from the water's edge and constructed with traverses, as a protection against artillery fire. Being well guarded he considered its surprise impossible. The next point examined by Warren was the United States ford, seven miles above Banks' ford, where he reported finding long lines of infantry with battery epaulmentsepaulements [sic], and an ample force in support and the river not fordable.

Just above the United States ford the river forks, the Northern branch retaining the name Rappahannock and the Southern branch being known as the Rapidan. The most considerable ford on the northern branch is called Kelly's, which is about four miles from Rappahannock Station, a point on the Orange & Alexandria Railroad, now called Remington. From Kelly's ford, roads ran westerly to Brandy Station and CulpepperCulpeper [sic], and southeasterly to Germanna and Ely's fords on the Rapidan, the latter passing through Richardsville direct to Chancellorsville, and the former intersecting the plank road from