Today in History:

531 Series I Volume XXIX-II Serial 49 - Bristoe, Mine Run Part II

Page 531 Chapter XLI. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.

of the plank road, covering the trains on the Stevensburg road and watching the Mitchell's Ford road.

2. The Fifth Corps will withdraw from its position on Mine Run as soon as it is dark (6 o'clock), take the turnpike, and pass to the Germanna plank road by the left, along a wood road which the guide will point out, and move to Germanna Ford and cross the river. After crossing, it will mass on some convenient point near the ford until the Sixth Corps has passed, when it will follow the latter, taking the plank road to its termination, turn into the Stevensburg road at Holley's, and take position at Stevensburg. It will not leave Germanna Ford until the First Corps has crossed so much of its force as not to need its support.

3. The Third Corps will withdraw from its position as soon as it is dark (6 o'clock), and move to the Orange Court-House plank road and proceed to Culpeper Ford, using a cross-road to the Germanna plank road, and turning from the latter by the road to Culpeper Ford. A guide will accompany the corps. The route is that used by the Fifth and First Corps on the recent march. The two brigades of this corps at Parker's Store and Wilderness Tavern will remain with the cavalry, and take post with them at Culpeper and Ely's Fords until after the passage of all the trains and troops, when they will rejoin the Third Corps at Brandy Station. After crossing the river, the Third Corps will mass at some suitable point near the ford until the Second Corps has passed, when it will follow that corps and take the road past Richardsville, moving to Brandy Station, leaving the Stevensburg road at Madden's and crossing Mountain Run at Stony Ford, a mile below Ross' Mills.

4. The Sixth Corps, Major-General Sedgwick commanding will withdraw as soon as the Fifth Corps to Germanna Ford, and, after crossing the river, there precede the Fifth Corps, taking the Germanna plank road; thence past Holley's and through to Stevensburg to the vicinity of Brandy Station, where it will remain until the arrival of the Third Corps, when it will proceed to its former position near Welford's Ford, on Hazel River. The Sixth Corps brings up the rear of the column that crosses at Germanna Ford as far as the Rapidan, and will use every precaution to protect it; it will throw out some force upon the Raccoon Ford road until it has passed Robertson's Tavern.

5. The Second Corps, Major-General Warren commanding, will withdraw after dark in time to follow closely the Third Corps. After that corps had entered the Orange Court-House plank road, it will follow that corps to Culpeper Ford by the route prescribed, and after crossing the river will precede the Third Corps, passing by Richardsville to its former position on Mountain Run, leaving the Stevensburg road at Madden's. The division of the Sixth Corps with it will there rejoin its corps.

The Second Corps will form the rear guard of the column until it crosses the Rapidan, when it will precede the Third Corps. It will use every precaution to insure the safety of the rear.

6. The corps on the same route will maintain constant communication with each other, and keep within close supporting distance. Those that cross at Germanna will look out for their left; those that cross at Culpeper will look out for their right as far as that ford, and every precaution will be used to secure the flanks and rear from surprise.


Page 531 Chapter XLI. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.