view from Clark's Mountain, a few miles to the south of the ford, and on the top of which the enemy have a signal station. We learned here that Stuart, with Fitzburgh Lee's brigade, ha that morning crossed at Somerville Ford, 5 miles above Raccoon Ford, and had gone toward Fredericksburg, and we thought it more than probable that we should find him on the Plank road at Verdierville, where we had to strike it on our way south.

Orders were issued to be in the saddle at 2 o'clock in the morning, and we lay down on the wet ground to get a couple of hours sleep. Two o'clock came, but the fog was so thick that it was impossible to move, more particularly as we had no guide to show us the road. Daylight came, and we pushed on; struck the turnpike; found no enemy, but saw by his trail that he had gone toward Fredericksburg.

From here I pushed Gregg's division on to Louisa Court-House, on the Virginia Central Railroad, where it arrived about 2 a.m., May 2, and immediately commenced tearing up the track of the railroad, destroying the telegraph, &c. Buford's brigade encamped that night on the south bank of the North Anna.

About 10 a.m., May 2, I had the whole force united at Louisa Court-House. From here I pushed a squadron of the First Maine, under Captain Tucker, of that regiment, toward Gordonsville, to find out the whereabouts of the enemy in that direction, as we knew that six or seven trains had passed up the evening previous, loaned with troops. The captain drove in their pickets upon the main body, the Ninth Virginia Cavalry, which, in turn, attacked him, killing 1 man, wounding 1, and capturing 1 lieutenant and 23 men.

Captain Lord, with the First U. S. Cavalry, was sent to Tolersville Station, and from there to Frederickshall Station, 12 miles from Louisa Court-House. From here a party, under Lieutenant-, went to the North Anna and destroyed Carr's Bridge, which is on the main road leading from Spotsylvania to Goochland, on the James River, and is one of the principal highways.

After having destroyed the Virginia Central Railroad and telegraph, burned the depots, water-tanks, &c., for 18 miles, and accomplished all that time would permit, we pushed on to Yanceyville, on the South Anna, and from there to Thompson's Cross-Roads, 10 miles lower down the river, where we arrived about 10 p.m., May 2.

At this point the James and South Anna Rivers are less than 12 miles apart, and here I determined to make the most of my 3,500 men in carrying out my previously conceived plan of operations. I called together all my regimental commanders, showed and explained to them the maps, and gave them an idea of what I wished done. I gave them to understand that we had dropped in that region of country like a shell, and that I intended to burst it in every direction, expecting each piece or fragment would do as much harm and create nearly as much terror as would result from sending the whole shell, and thus magnify our small force into overwhelming numbers; and the results of this plan satisfied my most sanguine expectations. I pointed out to them the routes to be taken and the objects to be accomplished on each route. One party, the First New Jersey, under Colonel Wyndham, was to strike the James River at Columbia, at the junction of the James and Rivanna Rivers, to destroy, if possible, the large canal aqueduct over the Rivanna, and from thence proceed along the canal in the direction of Richmond, doing all the harm possible. If thought expedient [and his was left to the all the harm possible. If thought expedient [and this was left to the discretion of the commanding officer], a party was to be sent across the James River, and to make a dash on the railroad bridge over the Appo-