April 14. — Rode out to Bank’s and United States fords this morning with Generals Hooker, Benham, and Warren, Captain Cadwalader, Major Ludlow, and Captain Comstock. Before going went to Colonel Stuart with an order from General Benham to send an officer out to examine the roads from White Oak Church to Schenker’s Neck. Officer started, but could not get through the picket line. On the way to Bank’s Ford we passed over the road repaired by Mr. Van Brocklin. At Bank’s Ford we found three lines of rifle-pits. At United States Ford, some five or six miles above Bank’s Ford, they had a line of rifle-pits, and a line of redoubts. At both fords the banks on our side are very high, and command the opposite shore. At Bank’s Ford the ground is low on the enemy’s side, and rises gradually. At United States Ford, the rise on the enemy’s side is very much less. I do not think that General Hooker liked either place as a crossing for the army. Coming back, we saw a working party leaving Bank’s Ford. At United States Ford we saw about half a regiment behind the rifle-pits. Some of them called out to us, and asked us to come over. Our cavalry, which moved last .Monday (that is, yesterday), crossed the river at Kelly’s Ford. On my way back I stopped in Falmouth and saw John Perry, who arrived this afternoon. The morning was warm and pleasant, but towards evening it clouded up, and became chilly, and in the middle of the night it began raining.
