Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 40.djvu/61

Rh was completed shortly after noon. The 11th and 12th corps took the road to Germanna ford, and the 5th corps that to Ely's ford. Germanna ford on the Rapidan is distant from Kelly's on the Rappahannock about nine miles, and Ely's is distant about fourteen miles. The only opposition encountered by the Federal troops was from the 15th Virginia cavalry on the way to Germanna ford. At that point a small Confederate force was engaged in the construction of a bridge over the river to facilitate communication between Stuart at CulpepperCulpeper [sic] and the army. This detachment and the picket on outpost were cleverly captured, only a handful escaping to Wilderness Tavern. Stuart says in his report that the couriers sent by him to Ely's and Germanna fords to notify the forces there of the enemy's advance were captured and hence the surprise, but it seems the Federals were already in possession at Germanna before the couriers were dispatched. It was not until the afternoon that learning from his pickets of the large force about Madden, he assembled his two brigades and pierced the column, taking prisoners from the different Federal corps. The river at Germanna ford was between three and four feet in depth. The foremost of the troops to arrive waded across, hanging their cartridge boxes and haversacks on their fixed bayonets, but the bridge which was soon rebuilt furnished passage for the bulk of the two corps. The leading corps, the 12th, completed its passage by 11 P. M., and before midnight the 11th was well under way. After crossing the two corps went into camp on the south side of the river.

At Ely's ford the river was equally deep and running with a swift current. General Meade is said to have hesitated and sent to Slocum for instructions, and the latter replied, his men were fording through swift water breast deep, and that the 5th corps must cross without further delay. No serious opposition was encountered, and this corps also went into bivouac for the night on the south side.

General Meade's first object was to clear the ground in his front, and open communication with General Couch on the north side of the river, who with the 2d corps had been directed to march to the United States ford. The squadrons of cavalry sent