May 3. — The enemy evacuated the ford to-day, and General Benham laid one of the bridges. After he had done so, he received a telegram ordering him not to lay it. The other bridge was ordered to United States Ford, where it went with Colonel Colgate, and sixteen boats. General Sedgwick carried the heights behind Fredericksburg this morning, and made his way up as far as B.’s Ford, on the plank road. About 5.30 I went across the river, and saw his men attack the enemy posted near Salem Church. We were driven back. General Hooker telegraphed in the morning that he was driving the enemy, and that he only needed Sedgwick to make his victory complete.
