Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-12-13
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PHILADELPHIA, Dec. II.
The Washington Star says dispatches
from the Grand Army state we had captur-
ed 1000 prisoners, while in pursuit Of
Pemberton's army, and more were coming
in hourly.
The Heralds special, dated opposite
fredericksburg. Dec. II, P. NJ, says:
Between four and five o'clock this morn
ing, the pontoon train, in charge of the
18th and 50th New York engineers, under
command of General Woodbury., proceeded
to the bank, where with infantry supports
an attempt was made to throw three bridges
across the river. The haze so obscured the
movement that for time it was not dis
covered by the enemy's pickets. The pom
tooniers had succeeded in partially con-
strueting the bridges, when the rebels sud
denly opened brisk and deadly fire of
musketry from along the banks Of the riv-
er and the windows Of houses, compelling
& cessation of the work. Retiring to the
cover of the surrounding hills, the men
again formed, and about six o'clock the at
tempt was renewed, but the rebels had now
been thoroughly aroused, and reinforce
ments of sharp-shooters swarmed to the op-
posite banks and houses. Nothing daunt-
ed by the hot fire which the enemy poured
in upon the resppearance Of the troops, the
pontooniers went gallantly to work, but in
vain a storm of bullets enVeloped them,
and the boats and planks we're riddled by
every volley. Once more they were com
PEELED to withdraw and fall back to the
cover of the range of hills running parallel
with the river.
1t was evident that the rebels were de-
termined to use the houses Of the city fer
defense, contrary 10 an implied agreement
in a correspondence which recently passed
by flag Of truce. Orders were given to our
artillery men TO open fire upon the city
Accordingly, Benjamin s, Edwards, Mid
dlebury's and other batteries, of the 9th
corps, together with the batteries of the
corps to the right and left Of the city, com
menced almost simultaneously lombard
ment. The fog was so dense that 1t was
impossible to see but q short distance be-
yohd the edge Of the river. The houses,
hcRever, in which the rebel sharpshooters
had enscOnced themselves, were plainly
particularly directed. The effect was their
partial demolition in q short time. After
the first FIRE, they became untenRble by the
rebel riAemen, whoiretreated to the rear of
the town, where they took shelter behind
as yet unharmed buildings.
By seven o'clock the bombardment be-
came general, and frsm that time until one
O'Clock, the roar Of artillery was incessant.
The batteries Of the 9th raked the streets
with shrapnel, shell and grape, Though
the fog still continued to obscure in a mea-
sure the results of these discharges, the
rebels with the greatest stubbornness, still
kept within the city, and at times parties
of them could be seen going from one point
to another at double-quick The carnage
cannot but be fearful amongst them.
It was somewhat singular that the rebel
batteries did not return the FIRE Of our
guns. Up to the present time they have not
opened.
About ten o'clock, the engineers formed
for the third time TO construct the bridges.
After the previous Intellectual attempts on
the part Of the engineers to cross, party
of eighty men Of the 9Th Connecticut, un-
der Captain Marsh, volunteered to assist |
in this new endeaEor to finish the bridge, |
and once more the column, with this rein |
foreement, started, under the direction Of |
General Woodbury.. They seized planks
and carried out some dozen Of them to the |
end Of the string Of boats, placed a part Of
them, and were then compelled to retire
under CALLING FIRE from the rebel sharp
shooters, who were ensconced securely in
rife pits, below the range of the artillery,
and within fifteen or twenty feet of the
river bank. The engineers suffered Sc
verely.
The movement having been thus inter-
n l.. i =
10 their original position. At II o'clock it
was discovered that one of the houses was
IN fire. The flames, which commenced in
he westerly part ofSthe city, soon spread,
md Fredericksburg is now enVeloped in
ire and smoke An enflading FIRE has
been opened upon the rebel rifle pits up