The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1862-12-26
THE w \ r
The Great Battle Of sburg.

The Great Battle Of fredericksburg.
\ correspondent of The " y. Herald gives
the following outline sketch of The hattie on
SATURDAY Fairly in the morning the roar
of the guns came rolling up from the left.
nut the fog hung so heavily that nothing
could he seen. Now ari then the mus eiry
broke out hercely, and again all would be per
ftc,ly silent. Fredericksburg was thronsed
ai,h troops. hut the irownins batteries on
the hills beyond were as quist ~ thoagh Ii"
enemy we're this side of Richmond Frank
in had hurried over his divisions, New.oh
ay close by the city. then Brooks, Howe.
Glib IN and Meade. with The cannon IN poSi-
ton. ready for the assault. BY and nv reb-
el battery opens on the left,and tie 9th y Y.
militia are ordered 10 charge Il. Shrapnei.
canister and bullets drive them back then
Gen Tavi0r. with the remainder of the bri
gadego-S in; tne enemy are hard pressed, wa
yer for a NJ rmcnt and then fall SLOWLY back.
while musketry breaks cut ali The line, and
the cannon. with their roar, drown all but
the cheers of Our gallant men. Gihbon hurts
MS division against the enemy: Meade, with
his Pennsyivsn:ans. pushes up and into the
miiigled smoke and log where the rebels
were last seen, and. rs the roar ceases for a
moment, tie shouts OF our troops come cheer
fully back OH the morning air. Then the
din grows ;cuder, shots begin to tell further
around to the right. gun after gun joins in
the cannonaJing. and the centre sways with
the wild excitement of The battle. Thus the
morning wole on. The battle raging here and
there at intervals along the front. while the
troops continued TO hurry up to the scene O;
action. Presently the fog begins to lift =
little. and We see the gray coats an the woods
and behind the ced ar hedges The guns be-
gin 10 play above the city; Samaers troops
.ird themselves for the fight and slosly press
out towards the earth Eorhs. while the LEE,
grows noI again with the strife. Reynolds
sends word 10 franklin that The enemy is
crow.iing and he wants help. Hold your
position. and push in Gibbon if needed. is the
answer. while Newton Is sent 10 the left
S,oneman relieves Meade, and D1ubleda,
Gibbon. the latter is wo lnded and carried
from the field; his troops fall back as the
fresh ones go in, and Stoneman. with kear
ny's old division, and Dual, d,y. with the
shattered resim n,s Of Klng. stand up Il
the enemy til night.
o. tn. right the BATH. was terrific The
rebels having the advantage of the hills
their ear,hworks and deep ditch. sheltered
hy a slone wall. we're eIarlei - u 'ur a gal
ling fics wihnu: cessi.inn upon our lines
Again anl again our troops rn ieayorri Il
carry the batteries b. storm o.ly 70 he re-
pulsed with great loss Sold shot and >llel
from the enemy tnre ;Hr, ugh The towG, seai
iering brick and iimbers am,ng n. truole
and The Infantry kept up a cea>ele>s rattle o
|, muskeiry. Tue rebels sesrn-i ,o fight viii
utter desperation, Yet their ranks cDuid no
have withe'"cd more than that endured h
Our men in the afternoon. a tempest "a
, iron plunged down '.pon US, but the line
etuod firm as rocks paying back the mu>stt
~ with interest, while our batteries Struggle
TO disable the guns ON The hills. Thus III
hattie rage 4 from morning until after iart
neither party Welding. both determined O
victory. Night clnsel The scene. br,h line
. in the ii-ld. so near each other that the N
tantry we're constantly firing, while the al
,llerv at intervals opened hriskly.
r SLAUGHTER OF CorCH's CORPS.
e The Fredericksburg correspondent, Of th
New York Tins gives the following accoun
r OF the part enacted by Couchis corps in tn
: battle of Saturday -
;" The line Of battle was formed hy Couch
, corps, i,hs second composed Of the division
} of French, Hancock and Howard, the lef: c
r the line sbu:ti.,s on s,ursis' division Of Wi
e cox's corps. (.he nin:h.) The first advance
n was French's, composed OF the brigades {
= Kimball. Morris and Weber, supported b
e Hancoeks division. consisting of the brig
D ades of Caldwell, Zook and Meagher, Form
y ng his men under cover Of smsll knoll i
E the ieir of the town, skirmishers we're d,
ployed to the left toward. Hazel Dell; Stu
/ gis, supporting at the same time, moved u
and rested on point on the railroad. Tt
, moment they exposed themselves on the raj
/. road forfh hnrsf ih.. d-sdlu hail E.oa III