Fighting Broke Out In Two Different Places On November 7, 1863
Lee predicted that Gen. George G. Meade would divide his troops when he planned his march over the Rappahannock. Five miles downriver from Early's position, the Union Third Corps, commanded by Gen. William H. French, effected a passage at Kelly's Ford. Gen. John Sedgwick's Sixth Corps pushed forward on the bridgehead at Rappahannock Station after engaging French.
The procedure proceeded as planned. On November 7, shortly after noon, French forced the Confederate defenses at Kelly's Ford back and crossed the river. Sedgwick moved in that direction, moving closer to Rappahannock Station. After noon, Lee became aware of these events and instantly ordered his troops to move toward the enemy. His strategy was to assault French at Kelly's Ford with the majority of his army while holding off Sedgwick with a minor force at Rappahannock Station. His ability to protect the Rappahannock Station bridgehead until French was routed was crucial to the strategy's success. At 3 p.m., Maj. Gen. Albion P. Howe's division of the VI Corps drove in Confederate skirmishers and took control of a range of high ground a quarter of a mile from the river, beginning Sedgwick's first engagement with the Confederates. Howe set up Union cannons on these slopes, and they "rapidly and vigorously" fired on the German earthworks. Guns from the Confederacy across the river returned fire, although it had little impact. On that day, the bridgehead defenses were occupied by Maj. Gen. Jubal Early's division. The Louisiana brigade of Brig. Gen. Harry T. Hays and Captain Charles A. Green's four-gun Three North Carolina regiments under the command of Colonel Archibald Godwin were added around 4:30 p.m. to augment the Louisiana Guard Artillery, which was already in action. The number of Confederate defenders at the bridgehead rose to around 2,000 with the arrival of Godwin's forces.
