Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-12-13

| troops, the pontocnirrs went r,Ilantly to work
But in vain. storm Of bullets enveioprd
| ihFm. The air Vas alive with the leaden mes
tcngers OF oeath. The planks and boats were
riddled by every Noiley. Once more they
| were compelled 10 withdraw. and they feil
back 70 the cover OF The ridge OF hills Enaing
parallel with the river.
As IL was evident that the rsbels wore de.
teImined 10 use The HOUSES Of the ei,y for = de-
F.! fence, contrary 10 an implied agreement in the
CORRESPONDENCE which recently passed by a {, ss
| Of truce, orders were given 10 our art:IIe-ymen
10 open on the city. Accordingly, Bcnja minis,
hdwar6s, Mnhiereerg's, and other batteries
Of II" Ninth Ccrps, tos-t ther N ith the batteries
OF The corps 10 The right and left OF The CITY,
ccTE.rHcs. an atTos: Simultaneous somb bard.
n:-ht The fog wac 20 dense that il MAS impu--
ritle tc see but si;crt distance o.yond the
edge OF thc-Tiver. Tine houses, however in
which the re,ei eharpshcot-rs had enscons-d
themselves neI- plainly Visibi-, and TO THIN
Tho feet tn. ir par;ia ia a sh ,rt
um-: After the Grsi Gre tis;y became unt.n- :
able BY the grbcl TifcrnCn who ratTeatad L, the
rear OF the tow Il, " h-ie la, y took shelter be-
hind the ss Yet Dnkarmed buildings
by seven, o clock the bomhardmsnt had be-
cce general, ard from thar time ;,l one o'clock
fhe rear OF artillery was incrssant, while the
slot and shell f. II fast and thick into the doomed
city.
From tho vicinity Of the Lacy House, brick
building overlooking ih' cGEter of the CITY, tn
batteries Of tlr Ninth Cops raked the streets
with shrl, shrapnCi and grape Though the
fog s'iii continued 20 obscure In a measure the
rsElts Of these d;sc harEee, vet the walls could
br heard crumbliug and the ti,nbprs crashing
The rebels with tba greatest stui.,,ornne-s still
Ecpt within the city. and at times parties of
them could be Sc II going from one point To
another on 'he Gouh!e quick The carnage
c"nro' but ee f+ariGi aniongst them
TX IL EoneH hat riH. uirT thSt the rebel hat.
trrts did not return tie fire of ouI guns. Up
10 Inc present tine they have Eot op-nel i'm
pCEsP.
About ten O'clock the engineers were formed
Tor 'nird st'ernpt TO construct the bridge. The
-th Connecticut, under Major Ward, WAS lyinz
M this flma near the river bark, in support of
che CT our batteries. After tho previous inef.
iectnal attempts on The part CT the engineers TO
cross, 4 party Of eighty men from the regiment
rrder Capt. Msrsh. yolunteer-d d 10 assis. in this
ntw fnGcayor 20 finish laying the bridge and
cEce mere the column, with this reinforcement,
SiGri' a down 70 the river.
Under the direction Of Cen. Woodbury. they
scizrd the p.anks and carried out SOM. dozen
20 nc end OF the string OF boats. PLACED part
OF 10. m, snd were ilien compelled 70 retire,
under q very calling fire from the rebel sharD-
Shootsrs, " no were ensconc-d securely in rife
pits bs low the range Of the artillery and within
EfIrt n or twenty .ect CT ;nc myers edge Two
of tie Sth Connecticut wrre wounded i'm this
ai''mpt. sBs the engineers suffered severely
n" movement having been interrupted, the
"ho:c party were ofdered back TO th-ir original
position.
AT II O'Clock il &as discovered that one of the
houses Vas hre. The famrs, which com
n' nof d in he westerly part OF the city, soon
IL FIRE and smoke.
An enfiladiuc fire has been opened upon the
r hei rife pitt from our batteries mp the river.
Ii has teen successful Ear I'm driving the
sfarpshocters from the vicinity Of railroad
d. pot.
The engineers arr now constructing the
bridges without interruption. In this work
they have been earnestly and galluntiy sup
ported by the ssrh New York, Col Fairchild
The Retrls still maintain their ground oppo-
size the upper bridge. The cavalry are now
passing Gen. Summers headquarters en- routs
10 MAKE charge across The river one Of the
foTGs.
Reports from the left state that Frask,in,s
wing has crossed the river beIow US, where
uh.ir paSsage WAS covered by the sunboats.
gcncr from the front tonight states that our
forces have crossed the river, and are row in
fredericksburg.
Before the Battle.
correspondence Phiiad.lphia Press.l
NEAEcUARTERs ARMY OF rBE PorpNAc,
DEG. Ia. m.-No opportunity is yer given me
TO cbronici" the events OF to-day, which are ex-
peCteu (, b. stirring. For some days Franklin's
tr,nd division has been maneuvering on our
left. thItau ming 10 crass at Point CONWAY,
seventeen miles below, TO draw a portion OF
Lees army ,n that direction, wi hich he has sue
ceeGed in doing. Though appearing 10 push
his troops ,hcrc, the bulk o. them rem lined bat
two or tErre miles from here; and with Lees
frc.s iius W. ak.ned in our front, Il simulta-
ntOu. crossing Of the whole army nav take
place day, in the immediate vicinity Of Fred
soft hsze yesterday upon the lin yernc snow
IEp air was omInorsly still, aud numberless
incidents be'okered action. Gen. Hunt, chief
of artillery, and aids, assisted bY Capt. DRus-
sey, nmanding the reserve reg ui;ir artillery
were necessarily occupied in consultation and
th'- distribution Of orders. Those batteries not
VI placed moved quietly 70 their hivouacs upon
The hiisides along the rIvcr,Ecady IA ke d ,sl-
III ms on the summit when required: earthworks
y,tunfinis he'd were completed; aids from Grand
division generals visited necessarily the tent Of
G sa%san. a asiafss naa a WITH WHIT the
numerous officers calling upon them.
ubicday's division of calm young veterans
tie rear OF Reynolds army corps, passed by
here with fae;'s unconscious of peril and
Burnside, IN short Jacket, moved tranq uilly in
and out Of his tent with his hands in his pock-
cts, as man " he had made all his dispositions
~hGse mind was easy, and who was confident
OF results. Many orders. indicative of action
had been postponed up TO Yesterday evening
in order 10 preserve secrecy, and at this hour q
Is impossible 10 ascertain whether they have
- bSe given, or " hat positions the different
corps Of the army " i'll take There was a con-
s'autnovrnent OF troops throughout last night
and coming hours will reveal their locality
/ Ne VI hole army has received cooked ratians
ior 'hrr days, and sixty rounds OF cartridges:
and, in addition 70 recent brigade and division
inspections, company officers closely examined
again yesterday thr arms ard accoutreuants Of
each individual soldier. There is a general
satisfaction upon every countanance al the
prospect Of move. and spirits grow reiun-
Gant.
HOSPITALS ARRASoEMENTs
II Il great satisfaction to know that ample
arrangements have been made for the raception
OF wounded men in the Forthcoming light
Two hospital tents, each accommodating
twenty mcr, are allowed 10 eSefy regiment
ana. In addition 10 these, the iii vision hospitals
haVea sufficient number of tents 10 furnish two
more for each regiment. Ocnsid ring thai
many men are wounded in the arms. OF slightly
IL the ft ac, and are not III 5abled from walking,
these these accommodations viii be ample. Good
Gr's and covering will be provided for all
hospital inmates, and no suffering through the
cold viii b. endured.
lCorr. spondcnce Philadelphia Inquirer
OPPOSITE FIj;DERICKsBURG, Dec. ~, L. NJ
Euring the whole Of the boubardmeut seye-
raj bands OF music We're dscoursing sweet
strains, contrasting stSensly with the furious
canncnaaing going orfDhly a short distance 10
hr FROM. Tie sweet, simple strain of {. The cir
Left bs hind me- with the reverberating thun-
der from the numerous batteries.
As the caEnonading progresses, great vol
umes OF smoke arise so as to totally shut out
the batteries from view. Ii rises hi "a up il.o
q .s.sx l..r.