A. Buschbeck to George Stoneman, April 15, 1863

General STONEMAN:

Your dispatches of 9 and 10.35 o’clock, of this date, are this moment received. As you stated in your communication of yesterday that you would be over the river with your command at daylight this morning, it was so communicated to Washington, and it was hoped that the crossing had been made in advance of the rise in the river. If your artillery is your only hinderance to your advance, the major-general commanding directs that you order it to return, and proceed to the execution of your orders without it. It is but reasonable to suppose that if you cannot make use of that arm of the service, the enemy cannot. If it is practicable to carry into execution the general instructions communicated to you on the 12th instant, the major-general commanding expects you to make use of such means as will, in your opinion, enable you to accomplish them, and that as speedily as possible. This army is now awaiting your movement. Iam directed to add that in view of the swollen condition of the streams it is not probable, in the event of your being able to advance, that you will be troubled by the infantry of the enemy.*

S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE Potomac, April 15, 1863—8 p. m. (Received 9.15 p. m.) A. LINCOLN, President of the United States:

Just heard from General Stoneman. His artillery has been brought to a halt by the mud, one division only having crossed the river. If practicable, he will proceed without it. All the streams are swimming.

JOSEPH HOOKER, Major-General.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, D. C., April 15, 1863. Major-General HOOKER:

It is now10.15 p.m. Anhour agol received your letter of this morning, and afew moments later your dispatch of this evening. The latter gives me considerable uneasiness. The rain and mud, of course, were to be calculated upon. General S. is not moving rapidly enough to make the expedition come to anything. He has now been out three days, two of which were unusually fair weather, and all three without hinderance from the enemy, and yet he is not 25 miles from where he started. To reach his point he still has 60 to go, another river (the Rapidan) to cross, and will be hindered by the enemy. By arithmetic, how many days will it take him to do it? I do not know that any better can be done, but I greatly fear it is another failure already. Write me often. I am very anxious. .

KELLY’s ForpD, V. A., April 15, 1863—4 p. m. Major-General HowarD, Commanding Eleventh Corps:

GENERAL: Your dispatch of 6 a.m., April 15, has just been received. After arriving here yesterday at 3 p. m., I sent an orderly to your head-

“Copy of this dispatch forwarded by Hooker to th i War lic. p y er to the President and Secretary of quarters with a dispatch containing a full account of movements up to that hour. I also sent one at 8 a. m. to-day, whom, I presume, has arrived ere this.

The.adjutant sent to General Stoneman for instructions brought me the order to remain here until further orders. On account of the bad weather, no crossing has been attempted as yet (by the cavalry). No train is at Rappahannock Station, but the Twenty-ninth New York are still to remain there to guard the bridge. Though rather uncomfortably quartered, the men are in very good spirits.

If we should remain here longer than to-morrow, I shall endeavor to

raw rations and forage from the train at Morrisville. Should I not succeed, I shall forage on the country. For all provisions thus taken receipts will be given.

I would have always sent two orderlies with each dispatch had not my number been so limited. Hereafter I shall be able to do so, as General Stoneman has sent me a detachment agreeably to my request.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,