Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-12-16
FROM BURNGIDE.S ARMY.
GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OF sAfCRDAYS BATTLE
MOTT bSsPERATEhY CONTESTED FIGHT or

me following account OF Saturdays battle
isfrom an army correspondence OF the New York
Herald:
FRkp.RIckssrRe, Va, Dee. U-The battle
yesterday VA. one Of the most severely and
desperately contested Of the whole war II
ragged fercely throughout the entire day, and
even after darkness had shrouded the field IL
was kept up with determination on both sides
which seemed as though it was likely to Last
until one army or the other had become 60 ex-
hausted as TO be unable to maintain the fight
front and right and beyond Frederickeburg,
was carried on by Gen. Summers grand diyi.
sion, comprising the Second and Ninth army
corps. Shortly after nine O'Clock the Second
corps, Gen. Couch, which constituted the right
OF the attsc king forcee, moved out from the up.
per part Of the city, between the plank road
and westerly outskirts, with strong detach.
MEATS Of skirmishers. The enemy yieldes
gradually, though they contested our progress
with great stubbornnsss 50, and for some timc the
rattle OF musketry was incessant.
AT the same tine that this movement wa.
commenced the batteries Of the division sta /.
toned on the bluffs across the river opened
with shell 10 aid the exit OF the rebels and cover
our advance. The rebel infantry having fallen
back 10 their first line OF fntrencbments and
rife pits, thsir batteries opened with vigorous
and rapid nre upon our columns, which now
mad come 10 a temporary halt, awaiting the re-
suit OF the artillery fighting. For some time
our artillery OIL the bluffs kept up heavy fire
NJ on The rebel batteries with such success that
the batteries on Tsylors Hill, nearly opposite
Falmouth. and commanding our right hank
were finally silenced. During this time the
artillery OF the rebels was almost entirely de-
voted TO the shclling OF our advanced troops
OCCASIONALLY they would send q shot towards
our batteries, but they fell short or lodged in
the town beA ond. Hancock's division had the
advance, supported by the ether divisions of
the corps; while the Ninth corps, Gen Wilcox
remained under arms in town, ia readiness TO
obs y the signal 20 advance % the assistance and
support Of tn, ir comrades w hereyer they could
efft ctually do 20. Soon after the whole corps
ocrloyed into line OF baitls, with Hancock's
division OH the righi, and in this ord.% moved
forward 10 attack and storm the rebel riYht
batteries, while from all the enemy's works a.
terrible shower Of shell, grape and ehrapneI
tore through their bleeding ranks, notwith-
standing which they steadily pushed on 10 the
rifle pits, within a short distance OF the first
line of iDtreHchments. From the former thew
drove the rebels, making prisoners OF some
esrthwoiks.
Tlts was accomplished after the most heroic
and long rontin ucd efforts, under q calling and
m nrdeIous fire. Human nature was unable TO
hold out agrinst the terrible fire which thew
now encountered, ard they finally retired, but
in good order, carrying away with them thei,
wounded comrades. They fell back TO theil
original line Of pickets, thus holding the ground
which they first Occupied, and which they held
uriil this morning, when they were relic we'd
by Gen StorS Sm ans command. just previous
70 the advance Of Couch's corps, heavy firing
and q dense smoke on the left indicated that
fIaEklln, with his grand division, was adyap-
cling upon and had already engaged the enenny's
n: ut hank. 70 open communication with him.
Il er, fort, Gen. Viii, OK detached his division
unGSr Gen. Burns and sent it 10 the left by the
ecge OF the river, with instructions 10 advance
under cover oil the river bank until he could
place himself in close proximity 70 Gen. Frlnk.
Inns right
O. d. Burns accordingly moved bis division
forwsId, crossed haZle run and took position
" fth his lett resting on ID. ep run, TO the oppo-
site bank OF " hich Gen. Franklin'e rizht ,x-
tended. From This location he was also enabled
TO support, if necessary, any demons alton
Eaving Tor It's field of operations the epacc of
lrourd tetwfen Deep run and Couch CORDS;
and though the di, isIon did not take part in The
dty's ng ar' m.nt, IL rendered valuable assist
tnce 9th, r~ iss.
About noon Gen Stureis wa. ordered 70 the
supPort OF Gen. Couch. So forming his diyi-
sion, with Gen. Eerreros brigade in the ad-
vance. he moved obli0 uely with and on the
leftfsnk Of Gen. Coucn, with the intentio of
sttaC king the batu ries which had been entilad-
ing Cuth's fIt n the night centre ;he rebel
position. He opened the attack with Gen
fcIrcIe's triladr. which deployed into the
hne ot tattie parallel TO the enemy's works,
With Gen. Nag les brigade formed in the r-ar:
al d within easy supporting distance. Gen.
fer1ero then advanced, pouring in terrific
.Olieys OF musketry, and driving the rebels
opened raking fire upon his lift flank, upon
discovering which Gen. Stursie ordered
Nagle'g trigsde 10 advance by the left nauk
and forming into lime of battle, attack the ene-
"
accordingly attempted, but in Consequence Of
raNinee which 1t was injudicious>to leave in
their rear, Gen. Nagle was unable 20 carry out
;he order, and then fell back 10 the direct sup
port OF Gen. Ferrero. COUGHS corps was fall
ing back while this was transpiring, and by the
time q, n. Nagle had resumed his original
SturRis alone in the advance, and upon his
con,rnsnd the enemy now concentrated almost
their entire force, and the fight no w became
one of the most desperate character.
DpEDltP the storm of niesile4 from the m
meroue rebel works, General Ferrero continued
TO advance, supported now also by Dicherson's
Battery, which was disabled in fifteen minutes
after coming into action, when its place was
relieved by another battery. At last by a
dashiDg chsrge, the brigade carried the crest Of
the hill, and approached within eighty paces Of
the tnemy's intrenchments. Their success,
however, was not Of long continuance, as the
trcmc ndous fre from the rebel batteries soon
rcnd red IL Mt eessaTy for them 70 retire, which
they did when the order TO do so had been
given for the third time Ii was now dark and
the division fell back ts its original position,
after being six hours under fire. Gen. Sturgis'
division may be said 70 have borpe the brunt of
the H. hting on the part Of the Ninth Corrs, and
behaved most splendidly throughout the whole
affair. When Sturgis was most warmly en-.
gaeed the third division, under General deity,
advanced 10 his support, executing a move
ment to his left similar to that which he was
making In relation TO General Couch. After
occupying for some time the position first indi-
Gated by the order from General WILCOX, the
division was formed for an attack the right
rebel batteries, which had been emilia ling the
ranks OF General Sturgis; and to the accom-
plishment Of this particular object Colonel
Hawkins brigade, with Edwards and the 5th
ssachusetts Battery, was particularly as.
signed, " hile the second brigade, under Colo.
mel Harlan, formed in the rear as a reserve
support.
The rider having been given TO charge those
Col. Hawkins brigade dashed for
ward, and, in ascending the elope, were COM
pt He'd 10 Cross an old canal and q deep slough
Passing III, So, they found themselves on a level
piece Of ground, on reaching which darkness
hsd oyertaken ths m. Notwithstanding the OBJ
scuritXo of the night they mainiain thems elves
agansDshr reb~l batteries until they were or
dered TO fall back. A struggling, scattering fire
on both sides was maintained until about eight
o'clock, " ha n both parties ceased for the night.
On the l'ft, which extended for some three
mil, below the city, Gen. Frankln's grand
division were actively engaged In sustaining
the for unts of the day.
portion OF this division eros s>d>on Thurs.
day evening, and the remainder crossed on
Friday. About half past nine o'clock the or
der was given to advance, and Doubleday.
pusht forward cautiously. The skirmishers
rot ff1l6 sA. ak-I~,