He accordingly started on April 13th to carry out his instructions, but another rain storm, which made the river unfordable, and very bad roads, detained him until the 28th.

It has been suggested that he might have crossed higher up, but cavalry officers who were there, tell me that every ravine had become an impassable river.

Hooker became impatient and refused to wait any longer; so when the water subsided, all--infantry, artillery, and cavalry--were sent over together.
The result was that the battle was ended before Stoneman got fairly to work, and his operations had little or no effect in obstructing Lee's movements.
To confuse the enemy as much as possible, demonstrations had been made at both ends of the line.

On April 21st a small infantry force was sent to threaten Kelly's Ford.

On the same day, I went with part of my division down the river to Port Conway, opposite Port Royal, twenty miles below Fredericksburg, made a pretence of crossing in pontoons, and built fires in every direction at night, to give the impression of a large force.