The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1863-01-06 00:00:00

THE GREAT BATTLE AT FREDERIcKSBURO.

THE DIEFOIHTION or me TWO ARNIM

The occupation of Fredesiekslrseg kavtag been too
modally accomplished, the next move was to drive the
rebels from their strongholds in the rear of the city.
The lines of the rebels, erbliah extended in the form of
• semi-circle from Port Royal to • point about six mils.
above Frederieleabarg, were strongly fortified and tiro-
tented by • range of hills, "Stonewall" Jackson
occupied the right wing, extending from Port Royal to
Osinney'e Shame (a stenos on tbe Richmond and
Fredericksburg Railroad), General Longstreet the
centre, extending to tbe telegraph road; and General.
Lee and Stuart thn left, west of Messapooax Creek, ,
while General A. P. Hill's corps acted as • reeerve.
Lee's reason for occupying the left was because he I
could not be on his guard against Sigel, who threatened
to outflank him by way of Culpepper, The entire
rebel force was estimated at SOU,OOI men, and occupied
• front of not less than 10 miles, The troops were for
the moist part veterans who had fought through all the
peninsular campaign, while the °Beers were the ablest
that the South could produce. It was no mean enemy
we bad to contend with, I assure you. The diaper
sition of the Union forces occupied the whole of Friday
night and Saturday morning, and, as General Burnside
was anxious to commence the attack at as early an
hour at possible, there was Sot mach thence for the
troops themselves A few stragglers it is tree, inimaged
to sneak away for the purpose of pillaging; but the I
great masa of soldiers were coutantly under arias.
General Burnside was in the witty all night, personally
Inspecting the troops mod directing their movements.
It was arranged that General Franklin's oorps should
aroma the river two miles below the city, with the view
of turning the enemy's position to Messaporial crest,
while Hooker would engage the rebels bear the centre,
and Sommer would turn their rigllL By this arrange-
ment it will be seen that Franklin was opposed to
" Stonewall" Motion, while Hooker and Summer
attacked the metre and 'left of the rebel. under Long-
street and Lee. The *rootlet morning came, and with
it • dense fog, which obscured the moveeaeate of the
enemy. The balloon was sent up jest before daylight,
but in consequence of the fog no observation would be
had. However, the disposition of the Pales Neves had
been made, and General Burnside determined to coal-
mines operation., for or no fog.
Tits Lerv.—Franklis moved his column, consisting
of the first and sixth corms, jurt before sunrises his
right resting on the eatiskirte if the city, his centre
advarteed • mile or so from the river, and his left resting
en the Rappolimanock about three miles below. Skirmish-
ing commenced a few minutes before daylight on tbe
extreme left. A rebel battery emceed on our troops,
and the fire became no annoying that the oth Regiment
New York State Militia were ordered to charge and
take the cannon at the point of the bayonet.
Tli• order was obeyed with alarcity, but after a fierce
lithe charging party were compelled to fall back.
At this critical moment General Tyler, perceiving the
disorder into which the 9th New York were throws.
cause to their aid with • brigade. The kik wine
quickly rallied, and, assisted by Tyler's brigade, another
attempt was made to storm the rebel hatteytee, bit
without success. The light now became general on the
extreme left, and another desperate effort was made to
capture the rebel battery by Gemeral Tyler's brigade;
but the fire of the rebels was so withering in ole effect
that oar brave fellows were unable to gain WV advan-
tage. Each charge thinned the ranks at • fearful rate,
and the chanties of capturing that much coveted
battery appeared no better than at first. The olistioacy
with which the rebels held possession of their ground
readenal General Franklin's task a very one
indeed. He had to cope with "Stonewall" Jackson
end the veterans of Cedar Mountain., Bull Ran, and
Antietam troops who understood their Weinman
thoroughly, and were not to be seared by Ogles.
Reynolds's corps advanood before the dense fog bad
lifted itself from the river bank., and about 9 o'clock
the enemy's infantry were engaged. The opeseisg
columns had fairly got to work when the rebel artillery
commenced playing area us through the fog. The
fight raged ferias* throughout the day, and our
troops were here exposed to a plunging ere from
the enemy's artillery, which was posted on the neigh-
Waring hills, and for a short tins* the Union soldiers
were opposed to a destructive fire. Our artillery re-
turned the fire with deadly effect, sad immortidieed
themselves by their aesuracy of aka and unwavering
mange. The right, oonsi•tiag of the Irth wrath seeps,
seder General Sumner, earned imperishable honours,
sod, as the list of the killed and eroutded will testify,
the laurels were won at • fearful east. The action on
the right commenced about 10 o'clock, and raged
!snowily all day lon. The enemy occupied the woods
sad hills in the rear of the arty, and in point of advan-
tage the odds were decidedly in their favour. The
courage of the Union troops was unbounded, however,
and every inch of the ground was hotly contested. It
soon became evident that the first ridge of the bills, on
which the enemy were posted behind earthworks, could
not be carried except at the point of the bayonet, and
accordingly General Sumner ordered French's division
to charge upon the batteries. Geaeral Howard's
division acted as • support, and the troops sprang for-
ward to obey the order with mach enthusiasm. By this
time the atmosphere Was clear, except from the smoke
of ertillerr and a good view could be bad of the rebels'
pantie]a sad the cematry adjoining. It was • grand
sight to me that deviated column "seeking the bubble
reputation s'ea at the cannon's mouth." Steadily they
marched wore the plain, and Dever faltered until they
were within a dome yule of the ridge, when, suddenly,
they were met by • galling fire from the rebel infantry,
who were posted behind a stone will. For • few
moments the head of the column exhibited some coa-
feelpe. but, quickly fanning into line, they retired W •
ravine within musket shot of the enemy. Here thisL'sion L moo troops were reinforced by a fresh body of infantre,
who advanced to the assistance of their comrades tn
splendid atyle, notwithstanding bole gaps were made
in their ranks at every step. The reinforcements
having arrived, and the line of usault being again
formed, the order "Double quick, with Axed
bayonets!" was given, and once more the column
advanced to dislodge the esbel artillery. From the
moment the storming party left the ravine up to the
time they reached the foot of the bills they were exposed
to the hottest Ire of the enemy. The toomintraled
Ire of Lee's artillery sad infantry rained upon their
devoted heeds in • manner truly terrific. No troops,
however disciplined and brave, weld withstand the
shock, and after suffering terribly our soldiers were
thrown into diaoreisr and brought to &sadden halt, At
ebb junetare the centre of the Dols= gay, wig mad

Sed in dismay, but they were afterwards rallied and
brought beck. A second and third attempt was made
to dislodge the rebel artillerists, but in vain, and at each
atteuipt the ranks of the storming party grew thinner
and thinner. Sumner non brought all his eventide
srtillery into play, hoping to &hell the rebels out, and
from that time until dark the roar of cannon was
inuesaant. The rebels, who had been driven back a
short distance during the day. returned to their orepnal
position when night came, so that we were linable to
remove our dead. Several attempts were made to re.
move the bodies during the night bat the enemy opene4
upon us with their infantry and compelled it. to desist. All
our wounded were removed, however, and such of the
deaden wore not Within musket ranged the rebels were
7111 Cirent.—The third and fifth army eorpi, under
General Hooker, formed the centre, and co-operated
with Sumner's column during the tattle, General
Burnside was anxious that • movement should be made
as early as possible, and accordibgly, at the break of
day, the troops norrimenced to move towards the
enemy', esrthworks. The men were fall of hope and
enoßrient of suncess as they fled out of the city in
splendid order. Skirmishing commenced shortly after
daylight, and in a short time afterwards the rebel
artillery coinmeneed playing upon ea through the (mt.
The enemy's position was ono of exceeding strength,
and appeared to be invulnerable to opr artillery, tint-
withstanding our guns were excellently handled.
About noon the infantry, who had been waiting for the
fog to clear olf, advanced for the purpote of storming
the theniy's position on the Lill. C,onlident of victory,
the troops mamlied steadily up to within musket shut
of the batteries; but • mur&rons fire from the rebel
riflemen, added to the fury of the cahbobiadet co.-
oar men to fall back with heavy loss. The
attempt to carry the rebel batteries was repeated again
in the afterncierr, and the attacking party, strongly
reinforedd, startled on the " double.imick ;" but the
Ittemy, who were also heavily reinforced, proved too
much for us.

Tan RIGHT AND Ccsyaa UNDER RI.7IISCIL—The
fighting on oar immediate front and right and beyond
Fredericksburg was carried on by Generel Sumner's
grand division, comprising the 2nd and 9th army corps.
Shortly after • o'clock the 2nd corps, General Couch,
which constituted the right of the attacking forces,
moved out from the upper part of the city between the
plank read and westerly outakirts with strong detach-
ments of skirmishers. The enemy yielded gradually,
though they contested oar progress with greet stub-
borenem, and for thine time the rattle of sonkotal
Intiesiant

Tee CHARON—Tex Httd. Casietto.—Deapite the
storm of alkalies from the eumerous rebel works
General Ferrari ortineed to advance, thpporkid now
also by Dickerson battery, which was disabled in lb
minutes after coming into action, when its place waa re-
lieved by another battery. At list, by &dashing charge,
the brigade carried the crest of the hill, and approached
within 00 paces of the enemy's intrenchmenta. Their
'access, however, was not of long continuance, as the
tretuendons fire from the rebel batteries soon rendered
it necessary for them to retire, which they did when
the order to do no had been given for the third time. It
was now dark, and the divieson fell back to its original
position, after being sin home under fire.
A GENERAL ADVANCE ORDLICEn.—About 12 o'clock
there we. an order for a general edema along the
whole line. The enemy occupied • line of elevated
land, !neatly wooded, but in eome places cleared and
itztended in a semicircular form, near the riVer bolo*,
around to Fredericksburg shore, giving him an enfi-
lading fire on the *hole field, and making a line of
battle at least Mt mike In ellen'. The rebel batteries
were oh the crest of the rising ground, well supported
by infantry. General Stoneman's corps were at this
time crossing the river to support the movement on the
left The batteries on both aides now biased away
with fearful fury. Donbleday, on the left flank, close
to the river, advanced hi. lines gradually, meeting with
but little opposition. At 1 o'clock the divisions of
Generale Meade and Gibbons advinced ender cover of
our artillery. They went forward In splendid style,
with colours dying. They soon became actively en-
pged in the works at the foot of the range of bilk,
while from near where their artillery wks planted on
the crest an additional infantry fire was poured inte
our men. Both divisiono, hhthver, advanced to the
woods, and a number of prisouers-100 or more--
were eaptared by them. The fire of artillery and
meakeky was incessant at this time. Presently, beli-
ever, a kph and more vigorous fire burst forth from
the woods on the Pennsylvanian regereery threiring
nearly the whole of that division into elnlusion and
disorder. This emboldened thy rebels, and they
continued to &dekko, meeting with not much oppoo-
tion from those troops. Their officers tried to rally
them, bet erithout much suecess. General Jackson,
eoMinanding one of the bripdea, was killed by a
musket hall, which struck him in the heed, while en-
desvourine to rally his men. His body was loft On the
field, together with that of his Adletant, Captain
Swerinpn. This unfortetwite demoralization of Genet-el
Meade's division caused partial success Of the enemy's
attempt to lank our forces. An they could not be
I rallied General Burney's division of interim braves was
brought forward on a 404M0-quick, and immediately
pushed to the front to fill the gap. They opened a
sharp One, dHving the rebels back to the woods from
whith they had come.—General Burnside we. at thIS
Phillips-house nearly all day. His position idiot of the
time was on the upper baloney, *there, with • power-
ful glass, Ea was watching the movements &COTO'S the
river. He had his Staff and couriers running to and
fro, oonveying orders and bringing reporta of the ire'
grin, of the fight He gave orders with pronipitude,
and succinctly. "LOS. no time" wen the almost eel.
vet-sal injunction to every courier. During last night
and this afternoon the Confederates harp etniiderably
extended their works and streogibetted their position.
Largo bodies of kakis are Moir tube seen where but
few were to be fmktd yesterday. Our dead which were
killed yeEthiday while charging in front of the enemy's
irorks still remain where they fell. When attempting
their removal last night the rebels would open fire with
Infantry, but the wounded have all been removed
from the field, and all the dead obtained et now being
buried.

—.—
Two DAVI ATT.. TOIII laAtTt.T.—rouring lest night
the army of the Potomac emmulted their Iptiods oe
IS. opposite "Ids of the river. The Movement en..
perilous one, bat it wall renducted lb safety. The
artillery Vies the first to I•Ttlell the river. The testis( the
Infantry brought tip the rear shortly after daylight
The equity never discovered the movement entail was
ton late to do canny harm. A s soon sa the lest man lid
get gefely &craw the river the pontoon bridge" were
removed, thus cutting of all ememeniaatlon between the
two chores. Oor wenradnd ere all safe, and on this side
of the river. There WM a heavy wind all last night,
accornpattled with considerable rain, which usiited us
VII Out movement, as it prevented the rebels from learn.
ins oar intentions."
An Ammar. TO PanSIDINT Lltitiour.—lnder the
heading, "An Appeal to the President", the ew York
Work& says :—" Tbq most splendid arm) of the world
with Generale as gallant as ever led, and goldiem
brave aa ever marched to Victim, hii filet the flight-
fullest digester of the war. By General Halleck's
orders the army of thy Nappaiiannock was Laughed
up again.% the leipternable batteries of the Fredericks-
berg heights brigade after brigade, division after division,
one after another decimated, thousands upon thousands
slaughtered, from daybreak to sunset, until its role
was complete, until well nigh 20,000 brave ansl ve
souls wet the Virgiaia billed,* with their blood.
The unflinching sonrage,the danutiess letrepldiey, of oar
niaguilleeet array were never more aublimely displayed.
The blundering strategy, the Incompetent generalshipe
which haled them to i fruitless doom never branded
itself me osnapienooaly as indiscriminate slaughter and
!larder by wholesale. Again have you, Abraham
Lincoln. by the hands of Hoary W. Halle& end Mien
M. Stanton. sent death to thousands ttpbn thousands of
our brothers and friends, again desolation and anguish Id
the homes and hearts of the people,—death tlit fere"
no if, to the perishing nation, hod Sorely irbleft fig
pairiotiun oat tionside, or the atinicionshells of a need-
ful, thotirtt try self-eitcrflide homage. By the banks
of the Rapp. ann m eek the was slaughter which was
(Mittel!. Sad y 10,000 firesides' tears to-day are abed
which God alone can wipe away. We have no words
el anger inert hour like this. The sense of sorrow for
the nation and her slaughtered eons cools even the ii
wrath which mut yet break forth upon the Alyea
those who.. selfishness, whose ineoeteifiy, whose
recklessness, sad who.. ambidrin hive brought our
grief upon us. Bythat licillfotr, in which there is not a
family in all Ibis rash and villages of the North but
shares • by thtt love for our country which hea
falterri &Meng 01 and does not falter fit hbi darkest
boor; by the hopes which mist Ott finger in the bosom
of the Chief Ifiegistrate to Feeover the confidence of his
people and to trattantit an honoured name to his aud
their poetaity ; by the desire which in his serious
sitoreeles must yet mem him to win in times Is trying
As those in which Washington won the title pit
father of his &sentry, the Nail title of ills sarlobr I by the
unutterable contempt of the men of hie Own limo and
the blasting scorn citehittory which will surely be
wreaked upon him he falls in aright which he may
fairly do to raft the public ;by the gloty At4ich my
yet await and by the doom which threats,* bet,—by
these sied every other consideratior *Mel the breaking
hearts or the 'extols minds of 20,000,000 of people
can conceive or fringe, We beseech the President to
cot loose now and finally from his put and Wel policy,
end front the men of whom it is enough to say that the
Union and the Constitution might have been saved,
bat that, with the resources of a continent and the
arms of twenty millions of milted freemen at their
batiks, they have not saved it We beseech him to
call to his Cabinet and ald the eldest, bravest, and beet
men of the nation, and so, if our cause is not yet peat
all remedy, by their help, and the favour of a just God,
to make nee anal effort for the salvation of the lie.
public which fruitless millions have been (vent for, and
for which more than 100,000 lives hare been yielded up
In vain."
Tits toses.—tatar news received in Liverpool from
Baltlesore Oates that Burnside lost 11,000 in crossing
the Rarmaltanenek on the 11th, and 20,000 in the beetle
on the 12th. The writers also state that Lee and the
main body of the Confederate army were ormeentrated
round Richmond on the Llth, and that the Coafederate
foross entrenched round Fredericksburg who repulsed
Burnside's army were only 15,0100 strong, and that this
accounts for the unopposed retreat of the Misted
Federal troops.

Ihr .11•000—tcalliftbd—the--In— lend fimenue Report for
Mt err LW bedews both Drumm of Parliament, and pub-
lishad for general intemeatias by tbe Ream% printer. This
Slate Document coademaa Me prefabs of alloviog lb.
Mimes to colour To for English , and tbe
n Ti...?" August lath, In reviewing 00 R.P.rt 4.
that the use of mineral oolour on To should be dimeotieued
I. order &Fount adulteratioo. CROICII Ti. et • M 77
nemsnobb is obtained by pormgoin ge.o. sort. ee.
ported by *mimeo aOft, Lodes, who to mews rabble
goehdy, bare for 16 year* bad their supply nef omperied wish
colour. The preference 0,11.1 to thin birowite Tine mime
from the unrivalled etrength of tho Pure Black, and the dell.
cate flavour of tlici PIM WPM, which is of • neural dark
olive, not the usual UMW' hoc Them detleous and invigorat-
ing Teta in odd by Sabatini/3 Agent. only, and advertived
In our column&

HOLLOWAY'S OISTIISIT AID PULL —For bad lees, Ind breasts I
and scorbutic or scrofulous sores, ur is • fuoulug spirits
Tbe error' and earnest testlnney of transude who ban
expesiered their unrivalled pore over Wen rumpiants, sod
who Mr raised front prostrste helplessness grid • enedition
lostheore to tberrelves end others, renders It quite un-
uesserry to erupt. In this place, epos Its extroordlnery
VI/UM The parts Allected should be bathed olth luknosret
water. and ors the puss are thereby opened. re °intone&
should be rubbed in at Nut tons • day all round the car-
ports( Oorta It then pretrates to %be grt 04 tbe disorder,
end gents a thoroog b d prurient on r: Thews pre-
yarrow ale cropered of ran berms re min as try are
alkedisaa

THE WOEFUL AND LAMENTABLE COMPLAINT
OF POOR 01.1) DAME CHRONICLE, WHEREIN
18 SHOWN HOW THE ANTEDILUVIAN
CHEATUEE 18 ANNOYED WITH THAT
YOUNG UPSTART—THE rscitoßax
-
P 47 the sorrows of your old friend Meow.
Whose days are fast drawing to a *lose,
Whose inotiruful state, to ease her burdened mind.
To you, she held, she must at one. disclose.
"Thce *u when the mean, crude, and narrow views
1 weekly passed foe sena were eager read;
But that, alaa! him long since gone bye,
And only numbered with tie silent dead.
But this, oh dear! is not my chief complaint,
30 eyes run down with tears both day and night
To think so many of my former friends
Should read that upstart Telegram with delight.
To eau my troubled heart I storm and swear,
(If you .hould doubt my word, then see lay last).
Use curses " loud and deep." instead of prayers.
And thus decry the day in which my lot ia cast.
To fill my columns now. I am obliged
To have recourse to low, mean, doggerel verse,
Which, if yoti look, my rev, and valued friends
You'll find does end, each sentence, with • curse.
AL ! old friends dear, do pray around me rally
And SPAIN my dotage by a Miming mile.
Or else by that upstart's constant worry
I Winn give up through envy, wrath, and bile."
Thus spite the poor old soul In piteous accents,
And shrieked away like some virago wife,
Her cried resounding through the back of tionth•strest
Like echoes from • crack'd, discordant fie.
• See Chronicle of December 25th.