| Show THE BATTLE OF jRED fredericksburg ERICKSBURG I 1 r NI I 1 the folo following sving graphic description of ot the battle of fredericksburg on saturday saturdays dec is from the correspondence of or the new york times the theatre oe of operations extended from fredericksburg on the right and down the sauth side tilde of 0 the hannock for two toi miles milea immediately behind tha the town owr own of fredericksburg the land forms forus s a plateau or smooth diehi running back for ab ut a third of a mile it then rises for forty or fifty yards f forming a ridge of g band which runs along to the lef lei left t for about a quarter of a mile mite where it abuts but at hael jell dell a ravine formed by the hazel niver river 11 which empties into the Rappa R hannock bannock test west best of the to an n at the foot of the ridge runs the telegraph road blankd by a ston stone e wail wall this eminence was studded avith rebel batteries to the right along up the river the ridge prolongs itself to opposite falmouth and beyond and here too batteries bat bax tenes were ere planted on every advantageous position back of the first ridge ig is another plateau and then a second terrace of wooden hills where a second line of fortifications is ere placed between deta beta een the tili rear of the t wn and the girst fiest ridge a canal runs right and left and empties into the riv ersome some distance above falmouth this plan of a third of a mile deep between the tha suburbs of fredericksburg and the first i lidge ade ide of hills was the theatre of operations of thRig thrim the eight bt grand division of the army under major general sumner on this narrow theatre our bave brave troops surged and swe swept pir pip t forward and backward backwards in the tibe ide of battle for or ten long hours A avord abord vord vora now on ibe the scene rt rf operations of the left grand division from the lower pirt part art of the town the ridge on art which it is E bauit 11 alopez abruptly down to a comparatively level levei or undulating m county which bart aches for some miles down donn the hannock about a couple of miles back of the river it z uses into a wooded slope elope at a point a mile alij and a halt hale below fredericksburg fred en acks burg twi pon had been thrown across on thursday morning and aud on friday the whole of the lett grand division under the com command mandof of major general V franklin frankiin had marched over the river daylight of saturday found the force drawn up tep in battle array on this broad plain skirting hannock chebat le ground though very marshy in some places presented a fina fine mez bield for m gitary evolutions the turn pine leading to fred fredericksburg ericksburg runs about one half of a mile from an I 1 nearly parallel to the river beyond is the railroad and still further beyond the woody range of hills in which the enemy were strongly entrench entrenched eL about a rille ralle and a half from fram fredericksburg nearly on the river edge is situated A N barnarda barnards Barn ards bone eone mansion ater a ter the english style the line of 0 battle as it appeared in the ri morning orning was as follows the sixth aruty army carpi under gen smith Frankli tiya tila its iia ita old OIX force on the right composed of three divisions name nara aj ay gen ne neaton nekton ton ou on extreme night right ht and rear gen burke on the center centers and rig gen en howe an the left the first army anny corps gen day dal ds extending still further to the left drawn drama up in in the fol oving order gen gibbons Gibbon 8 division on the ri richt ht connecting with gen howes howee gen Al meades eadels centre and gen doubleday dou Doa bleday left fronting to the so southward and creating rea reb litie nearly on the river this constituted the orden order in A bich our forces were drawn up there being three distinct hues of li attie battle opposed to our ri night right lit under gen sumner was the left under command of gen longstreet opposed to our left under gen ben franklin was the rebel right rights under gen jackson gen lee general generalissimo iss imo of the southern arm army r was in person in command of the confederate forces during the day the plan of gen burnside agreed upon udon in council eo kiil of war was to leavor endeavor en tahe tape to pie ze ce the ebel rebel i centre early on the morning of sat the order was wai div n that buin buia guirt ners left composed of the he ni ki tb th army corp sunder command of general gei Ge seral era wilcox wis cox should be extended until it reached franklins right thus forming a continuo continuous ui line hue of battle along the the he riv r for two miles the left resting on at the point where the lower pontoons pon pan and the ight r on 01 fre ericksburg the left wing wings comprising the whole of F an klins command fi ft ty thousand men should then be swung round as on a pivot formed by sananer suo Sao ners ls ex reme right resting on if it ful fal in his maimu maima er franklin frankila Frank ila lia would divide the rebel rebal line take possession pas session of ot toe tee railroad the line of retreats retreat and come in on the flank or of the rebel works lach lack of fredericksburg while this movement was being d ve loped a division was ta to be sent up from gen sam ers era cimma c imma d by the plank piani road to storm the ridge if it there should be any failure in this it was hoped the co CD oj of aeration of franklin would presently make success certain hookers corps was destined to act as a reserve the dawn of saturday found the forces distributed tru tri buted as thus indic indie ted about 8 t fie hie tie phillips house the headquarters of gen ju gumaer gumner mner maer about a mile from the tha nver on the side tide was the scene ol 01 0 a numerous assemblage gem sem blage biage of officers gen burnside and gen gen sum er here and lh th bal co y and ana grounds in front were presently filler filled with and aides skirmishing bd bad been going an all the fore poon and arid the rebel lebei p p clece had been driven oett out c f vre fre ire the time had bad now pome yome am e to attempt an ari ar fiance on the reb rebel ittia li the orera orders avee we to move moye moya ra pOly charge up the hil hii lahd land andrake andU itak ital ake 1 e the batteries e at be fie point of the ibe bayonet A the theline line of battle battie is was as f ormed formed by combs corps corpse the odthe of the of french hancock II ancocK and arid howard the left of the line abut ing on sturgis division di ision of ivi lyl coxs corps the ninth nintha the first advanced waa was Frenc french hs composed of the bri brigades kades hades of kimball and web weber r support supported fd by hancocks Han nan cocka division consisting of the brigades i or caldwell zook and dla nia meagher bla gher forming his bis men under cover of a small mail knoll in the rear of the town skirmishers were deployed to the left toward hazel dell sturgis sturgil supporting at the sometime same time moved up and rested on a point on the railroad the moment they exposed themselves on the railroad railroads forth burst the deadly hail from the rifle pits came the murderously aimed missiles fiam fi cm the batteries tier above tier tiers on the terrace terraces s shot planes of ogre fire from the enfilading I 1 cannon distribute i on t the h e arc of a circle two miles in extent came cross of shot abot ard and aid shell shelf imagine if it you can for my resources are unequal to the task 0 of telling yb 1 u the Bito atlon ol 01 tha gallant but doomed civial n across the plain for a while they swept under this fatal fire they were literally mowed down the bursting shells made great gaps in their ranks but these are presently filled ly the c I 1 a 9 aig up of the I 1 line I 1 ne legi fyr fi fifteen teen immortal min finites lies ties at least they remained under this fi hirv giry rv ry buree suree onward they press tho ib agh their ranks grow feard fearfully ully thin thlu they have passed overa greater part of the ind interval erval and have almost reached the base of the hil bill when bri brigade rde atter after brigade of rebels rise tip up on oil the cre creat st au aul I 1 pour in fresh volleys pulleys of musketry at short range to those who through 11 the glass looked on it was a perilous sight eight indeed r flesh I 1 and blood cou d not endure it they fell back shattered and bicken anid amid shouts shoula and yells ram fram the enemy gen frenc frene frencha hys di vision went into the fetid six thousand strong late at night he told m me he could count but bitt fifteen hund redl redi the fire of the rebel batter hatter iea lea elesiva wab was 1 1 not the lie only thing from which our men had bad to 1 suffer fier thinking to silence the guns guna our bat ba teries planted on the bluff on the north side otibe odthe river embracing the 1 12 1 2 slee siege guns some batteries of 23 parrots and the ai ati tillery of the left and centre opened fire the intervening space is between twenty seved seven hurd hund beaded ed and three thousand yards too great a ui stance to calculate on the projectiles carrying with accuracy part contractors ammunition IE it shell should fall short or take an oblique d ani an aul i 1 explode among our troops it would be difficult to see bow a panic coad coh coa d be prevented pro pron n aptly seeing this danger gen liuni hunt chief of artillery instantly orders to cease fi in ing it was weil wll he did so for immediately aft afterward eward an aid acme galloping from gen couch from the other side of the river begging begaii g that our batteries should cease as they were actually firing into his command while the broken column retires to its original position in the outskirts of the town to reform re form for a ne nev N enco inter let us see what hat bat goes on on the left at daylight the I 1 f forces or comprising the left grand division of th the e cierny caerny army appeared drawn up in battle array on the broad plin efin pi in below fred ericks b arg and skirting the I 1 rappa Kappa hannock at e morn the lath h pennsyl Ruck tails talis and two or three other reg ments were employed in front as skirmishers between whom and the rebel skirmishers considerable firing took place no booner sooner blo fco oner however Lo wever had the beav heavy y mist clear d away tuan than capt halls haws I 1 battery 3 att ate ery 21 me planted at the light of gib boila division opened fire upon the rebels artillery y firing fi ing now becam became general getie ral rai along the whole line lines which was waa returned by the rebels heavy siege guns in our rear tob lob land lit massachusetts batteries and battery D artillery on the right capt rin and capt walkers in front and anti cowans new hew york and lieu hams harris ad new york independent on the I 1 ftp ft and other batteries kept up a terrific fire on the rebels orders orde a now came caime tt toad advance vance and a out nine gibbons and blead meada s divis ons commenced m ving sl slowly wiy aly forward gen me ale des dea command consisting of the pennsylvania reserves arranged in the he following order a lat brigade emb amb embracing racing the let aj and 6 h regiments at the left ad brigade ath ath and aud ath centre and ad bi brigade jacksons nta ufa and at tee tte right rigg ht the advance resulted in almost straightening our lines which were belore somewhat of 0 a crecent considerable resistance was met with yet the forces contina cont inu d to m ve forba d J until at mid aday we toe line of battle was threce quarters of a mile in at advance vance of or fuere here it had been at the out outset set bet but now came the deseive reset ve aire fire of the enemy with terrific force shot shell sheli arid and canister were plurel into our men rom various point points while the rebel infantry appe ap ning ring fired with willi rapidity still they continued to press on S averail several batteries moved forward at the same ti meAs our troops saw the enemy giving way cheer after cheer rent the air about one ock gen meade meada ordered a charge which was well uell executed the men pressing on the ed edge ede e of the very crest and skillfully fully by a movement on the flank an opening which happen d to occur between the division of A P hill nill and earl eari earls earis pa brigade capturing several hundred prisoners belonging to the gist cist georgia and north carolina was progressing point the efemey sent four heavy columns down on our lefts lefis left near the ibe river they w were e re handsomely handsom ply fly repulsed and driven back how ever by gen qin division owing Owin to the lack of cements gen com command mandl waa was oti obliged liged to fall back a ot a mile mlle 4 wui WWI thal ther remo reTO ned oed three quarters i 3 of achie beyond the ground fist bir at occupied afi very ry heavy musketry musk elry eiry firing nang continued ajo alo ao g we the line heitger side ga ning ninga any mater mafer at advantage abo about 1 titi 1 1 2 the first line of b bittie bittle in gen Gb bonsa division was relieved by the second ben when hen towers brigade now commanded by col cel J roo aloot t charged over an open field be ond the railroad and arid down lato into the edge of the woods occupy occupying in the breast breatt wt which the enemy had conati constructed acted here a and nd captured prisoners belon belonging inato to the north carolina and a south cardilia Car can otria diria regiment gen Gib gibbons was wag severely in the right hand bald thy held their own awu for some bome time but we e eventually compelled to fall back the ad maine battery advanced with Gib bonss bonas division men when it fell back three guns were left to bear upon the advancing enemy an lorder jorder order came at that moment to cease firing as I 1 the force coming from the woods were our own men men when it had advanced however to within fit y yards the commander of the battery became con coa incel that they were rebels and moving on to capture this battery five five guins nna were opened upon them but after five rounds had been vireil fired the battery was ordered to fall back the captain called for volunteers olun to ra urn and bring off tho the ba batery tery ser bant berry arvant stubbe corporal it freely and t twelve elve men mn belonging to the 0 6 h maine regiment regiments stepped forward theonder the though a hazardous one proved suc as the he aba boned gun wag was brou brought ht oft PIT n safety fe t y it was while tiie tue fi feht bt was pro gress ceasing ilig a at this point that gen asard bayard B was ddlly tally wounded woun ded Jed he ile had bad just reached gen franklina franklins headquarters head quarters in a small grove of or bernard house and taking a seat under one of when a ball bail striking a few arb ars in fron front I 1 of him glanced and then went thru his thigh inflicting indic ting a fearful wound lie he was immediately coni conveyed eyed to the bernard house orid olid nd placed in of dr phelps surgeon oc of the brigade As be was lying on the conch couch the tho chaplain of the harris light cavalry approached and injured inta redi revl him to iv wit it an anything thing for him by and arid b 11 lie he r replied ealie 1 I then turning to surgeon ll ockley be he in inquired it be should be able to 0 o live forty echt eight hours A negative answer being given h further inquired if be shoud should die easy several 0 0 tb th burgeons surgeons in attendance thought Us lits life might be saved by amputate ng dg me toe wounded limb but the chances were so email he tit pre preferred terrel not to undergo the operation lie he was perfectly sensible and never tor for once lost that seif self possession which has always characterized himon the th field of battle about 5 So flock gen gui birneys birness Bir Birn cys division of gen hookers grand Dv division ision which had been dela deia delayed ed for some t me in crossing by the |
