The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-26 00:00:00

The Federal Panic at Fredericksburg.

The correspondent of the New York ,Herald
writes :

"I must frankly confess that I have no ability
to do justice to the scene that followed. It was my
lot to be in the centre of that field when the panic
burst upon us. May I never be a witness to an-
other such scene. On one hand was a solid column
of infantry retreating at double quick from the face
of the enemy, who were already crowding their
rear; on the other was a dense mass of beings who
had lost their reasoning faculties, and. were flying
from a thousand fancied dangers as well as from the
real danger that crowded so close tapon them, ag-
grarating the fearfulness of their situation by the
very precipitancy with which they were seeking to
escape from it. On the hill were 10,000 of the
enemy, touring their murderous volleys in upon
us, yelling and hooting to increase the alarm and
confusion; hundreds of cavalry horses, left riderless
at the first discharge of the rebels, were dashing
frantically about in all directions; a score of bat-
teries of artillery were thrown into disorder, some
properly manned, seeking to gain positions for
effective duty, and others flying from the field;
battery waggons, ambulances, horses, men, cannon,
caissons, all jumbled and tumbled together in an
apparently inextricable mass, and that murderous
fire still pouring in upon them. To add to the
terror of the wcasion there was but one means of
escape froui the field, and that through a little
narrow neck or ravine washed out by Scott's Creek.
Towards this the confused mass plunged headlong.
For a moment it seemed as if no power could avert
the frightful calamity that threatened the entire
army. That neck passed, and this panic stricken,
disordered body of men and animals permitted to
pass down through the other corps of the army, our
destruction was sure. But in the midst of that wildest
alarm there was a cool head. That threatened cala-
mity was averted by the determined self-possession
of Major-General D. Fa Sickles. Spurring his horse
forward, he forced his way through the tangled mass
and entered this narrow neck. Across this neck
there runs a thick brick wall, behind which the
forces of General Williams and Berry had already
thrown themselves preparatory to meeting the
enemy. On one flank of the wall was the deeply
sunken bed of the creek, impassable for any species
of vehicle and scarcely safe for men. At the upper
end of the wall was a narrow gateway, the only
opening to be found. To this point General Sickles
picked his way, and there, drawing his sword,
blocked the passage with himself and horse. On
came the panic-stricken crowd, terrified artillery,
riders spurring and lashing their horses to the ut-
most, riderless horses dashing along regardless of
all obstacles ; ambulances upsetting and being
dashed to pieces against trees and stumps; men
flying and crying with alarm—a perfect torrent of
passion, apparently uncontrollable. But, against it
all the brave General threw himself, and by his de-
termined bravery brought the first heavy mass—
cannon drawn by six horses, well mounted—to a
halt, and blockaded the passage. Others dashing
up behind and crowded upon the first, their drivers
cursing and swearing and calling to the foremost to
go on. The loose horses jumped the stone wall, and
the flying men scrambled over it, utterly oblivious
to the fact that the opposite side was crowded with
men whose lives were thus doubly endangered. But
by the blockade of the main passage the stampede
of the artillery and cavalry bad been principally
checked. Once halted, reason began to return to
those who had previously lost it, and much of the
artillery, properly manned, was quickly brought
back upon the field. Tbey all seemed possessed with
an instinctive idea of the shortest and most direct
line from the point whence they started to the
United States Ford, and the majority of them did
not stop until they had reached the ford. Many o
them on reaching the river dashed in and swam tf
the north side, and are supposed to be running yet.
It was no worse with privates than with officers
The stampede was universal ; the disgrace genera