Crossing near Pollock's Mill - Twenty light rifles (Reynolds', L, First New York, six 3-inch guns; Hall's Second Maine, six 3-inch guns; Amsden's, G, First Pennsylvania, four 3-inch guns, and Cooper's, B, First Pennsylvania, four 3-inch guns) were placed on the elevation just above the mill, and fourteen (Edgell's, A, First New Hampshire, six 3-inch guns; Thompson's Fourth Pennsylvania, four 3-inch guns, and Ricketts', F, First Pennsylvania, four 3-inch below, to which were added in the morning six light 12-pounders (Ransom's, C, Fifth United States); the whole under the command of Colonel C. S. Wainwright, First New York Artillery.

A mile below these positions, and near Traveler's Rest, sixteen guns, (Taft's Fifth New York, four 20-pounders; Kusserow's Thirty-second New York, six 3-inch guns, and Hart's Fifteenth New York, six 3-inch guns), under the command of Lieutenant Colonel E. R. Warner, inspector of artillery, were stationed to control the bridge across the Massaponax, and to cover the left of the army after the crossing should be effected. These three batteries moved along the banks, following the subsequent movements of the army until, at the close of the operation, they were stationed so as to sweep the streets of Fredericksburg and command the Falmouth Ford. In the course of these operations, Hart's battery was relieved by von Blucher's, which had returned from Banks' Ford. Miller's battery (G, Fourth United States, six 12-pounders) was already in position near the Lacy house, and twenty-two light 12-pounders in addition (Randolph's, E, First Rhode Island, six 12-pounders; Kinzie's, K, Fifth [U. S.] Artillery, four 12-pounders; Dimick's, H, First United States, six 12-pounders, and Bruen's Tenth New York, six 12-pounders) were placed in reserve near Falmouth Station, in readiness to move to any point above or below where their services might be required. The disposable horse artillery (Graham's, K, First United States, six 3-inch guns; Meinell's, C, Third United States, six 3-inch guns, and Pennington's detachments, ten 3-inch guns), under Captain Graham, First [U. S.] Artillery, was in like manner stationed between White Oak Church and the river, so as to be available at any point near or below the crossings.

At daybreak of the 29th, Russell's brigade of infantry crossed the river in boats at Franklin's Crossing, and occupied the enemy's rifle-pits with but little resistance. The bridges were constructed and Brooks' division crossed, taking with it Williston's battery (D, Second United States, six 12-pounders), which was posted behind the rifle-pits.

On the 3rd, Seeley's battery (K, Fourth United States, six 12-pounders) was relieved and joined its division. At the lower (or Reynolds') crossing, the attempts to throw the bridge early in the morning were defeated by the enemy's sharpshooters and the infantry in his rifle pits.

About 8.30 a. m. the fog lifted, and the batteries were brought into requisition. By slow, deliberate, and well sustained fire of great accuracy, the fire of the enemy was completely suppressed, the men taking refuge by lying down in the ditch, and a regiment moving down to re-enforce them driven back. Under the protection of the fire, a force was thrown across in the pontoons with little or no loss, and captured about 100 of the men in the pits, the remainder escaping by flight.

The practice of the rifle batteries, especially that of Cooper's (B, First Pennsylvania, four 3-inch guns), was excellent. The bridges were then established, and Wadsworth's division crossed. The three batteries near Traveler's Rest (Taft's Fifth New York, four 20-pounders; Kusserow's Thirty-second New York, six 3-inch guns, and Hart's Fifteenth New York, six 3-inch guns) repulsed all attempts of the enemy to pass the Massaponax from below, and, on the arrival of the enemy's columns