How to do so with advantage seemed a hard problem. Between the
opponents lay the Rapidan, which would be an ugly obstacle in the path
of an army retreating after defeat--and the same considerations which
deterred General Meade from attacking Lee, operated to prevent a like
movement on the part of his adversary.
Thus an advance of the Southern army on the enemy's front was far too
hazardous to be thought of--and the only course left was to assail
their flank. This could either be done by crossing lower down, and
cutting the enemy off from the Rappahannock, or crossing higher up, and
cutting him off from Manassas. Lee determined on the latter--and in a
bright morning early in October the great movement began.
Leaving Fitz Lee's cavalry and a small force of infantry in the works
on the Rapidan fronting the enemy, General Lee put his columns in
motion for the upper fords.
The men hailed the movement with cheers of delight. As they wound
along, with glittering bayonets, through the hills and across the
river, you could easily see that the old army of Northern Virginia was
still in full feather--that Gettysburg had not shaken it--and that Lee
could count on it for new campaigns and harder combats than any in the
past.
The head of the column was directed toward Madison Court-House, which
would enable Lee either to advance directly upon the enemy's flank by
the Sperryville road, or continue his flank movement, pass the
Rappahannock, and cut off his opponent from Washington.
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