The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-12-25


mlshers, compelled them to fall back. At the
same time the three lines of infantry composed
q TRAITS and Vintons bIigade's stood to arms
anu advanced with fixed bayonets. Night put
an end to further operations on either side
with the exception of occasional discharges
from cur heavy guns. ~
The result of the days fighting on the lett. so
diversified in its character, to give the left
possession of space about 500 yards in extent,
So fan as siuJbornty holding its own and even
gaining some what OIL the enemy, the left grand
division deserves credit II had, however, fail
ed to perform the tactical maneover assigned
it, GET%GE a. ESQ
Returning to the right, l found Gen. Sum-
ucr seated on the front seat of an unyoked am
oulance, at the Lacy House, directly opposite
| Frederick Sburg, at the point where, the first
pontoon bridge spans the stream.| The vcte-
| ran soldier had been extremely DESTROYS of eros
sing and directing in person the movement OF
his grand division, but the Commanding Gems
eral would not permit it, and as compromise
| (he had come down from the Philips House,
which General Burnside had made for hishead.
| quarters for the day mile from the river and
established it here at its brink. / could not help
feeling regfet thai the ieashed old war-dog was
not let loose at the throat of the enemy. Mean
while, as Frederick sburg had become entirely
too hot to visit with decent respect for one
safety remained With the general in the am
bnIance to follow the tide of battle, as reported
by constantly arriving aids and couriers
The fire of the rebel batteries were not the
ONLY things from which our men had to sntfer.
Thinking TO silence the enemy's guns our bat
tcries planted on the bluff, the north side of
the river, embracing the Al seige guns some
batteries of 20>Poundsr Parrots, and the ar
tillery OF the left and left centre opened fire.
The atery mug space in between 2,7p0 and
| 5000 yards ; too great a distance to calculate
on the projectiles Carrying with accuracy-par-
! ticularly contractors ammunition. If she'll
should fall short, or take an oblique direction,
and explode among our troops, it would be dlf-
| fcut to sec how panic could be prevent ed
Promptly seeing this danger. Gen, Hunt, chief
of artillery, instantly dispatched orders TO cease
firing. 1t was well he did so. for Immediately
afterward an aid came gall oping from General
Couch. from the other side of the river, begging
| that our batteries should cease, As they were
actually firing into his command
While the broken column retires to its orig
! ional position in the outskirts of the town, to
! re form for new encountre, let us gee what
goes on on the left
At daylight the forces comprising the left
grand division of the army appeared drawn up
in battle arsyon the broad plain below Fred
ericksburg and skirting the Rappahannock.
sylvania Bucktails, and two or three other
regiments, were deployed in front as skirmish>
ers between whom and the rebel skirmsherS
considerable firing took place. No sooner,
however had the heavy mist cleared away, than
Capt, Halls Battery. ga Maine) planted at the
| right of Gibbons division. opened fire upon
| he rebels. Artillery firing now became gene
raj along the whole line which was returned
! by the rebels. Heavy seige guns in our rear,
7,.k l,kM fko hafko
and battery D. 18th artillery on the right Capt.
Ransoms and Capt. Walkers in 'front.' and CO.
vans New York. and Lieut.. Harms Sd New
| York Independent on the left, aud other bat
teries, kept up terrific fire on the rebels Or
ders now came to advance, and about o'clock
| Gibbons and Meade's divisions commenced
moving slowly forward.
| Gen Meade's command consisting of the
Pennsylvania Reserves, arranged in the follow
| ing order: First brigade, embracing the LIST,
| I'd, 121st, and six regiments az the left Sec
ond brigade, Sd, 4th, 9TH and 9Th centre and
third brigade, (JacksonS) 5th, llth and 18th,
at the right
The advance resulted in almost straghten-
| ing our lines, which were before somewhat of
crescent.
Considerable resistance was met with, yet
the forces continued to move forward, until at
mid day the line of battle was three quarters Of
mile in advance of where it had been at the
outset. But now came the reserve fire of the
| enemy with terrible force. Shot, shell and can
lister We're poured into our men from various
points, while the rebel infantry appearing fired
with rapidity. Still they continued to press
on. Several batteries moved forward at the
same time. AS our troops saw the enemy Civ
ing way. cheer after cheer rent the air.
About l o'clock Gen. Meade ordered charge
which was we'll executed-the men pressing on
the very edge Of the crest. and skillfully
penetrating by movement on the flank, an
opening which happened to occur between the
divisions of A Hill and Earlys brigade. cap
| tured several hundred prisoners belonging to
the 31st North Carolina.
While the fight was progressing at this point
the enemy sent four heavy columns down on
our left, near the river They were handsome
! ly reEulsed and driven back, however by Gen.
Doubleday's division, Cowan's New York and
Lieut. Hsrns' 9th artillery, and Sd New York
batteries aiding very materially in the discom
| future of the enemy. Owing to the lack of re-
Inducements, Gen, Meade's command was
obliged TO fall back quarter of a mle-three
quarters of mile beyond the ground first oc>
cupied,
Very heavy musketry firing continued along
| the line, neither side gaining eny material dam
| tage. About ii O'clock, the first line of battle
| in Gen. Gibbons division was relieved by the
ded by Col. Root. charged over an open field
beyond the railroad. down into the edge of the
woods, occupying the breastworks which the
enemy had constructed here, and capturing 200
| prisoners belonging to the Seth North Carollna
| and South Carolina regiment. Gen. Gibbon
was severely wounded in the right hand
| They held their own for some time but were
eventually compelled to fall back The Second
| Name Battery advanced with Gibbons divis-
| han f.lI Hoal A.. I.
| 10 bear upon the advancing enemy. An order
came at that moment TO tease firing ,as the force
coming from the woods were our own mem
! When il had advanced, however. to within fit,
| towards, the commander of the battery became
convinced that they were rebels, and moving
on to capture tn battery. five guns were open
ed upon them, but after FIVE rounds had been
fred, the battery was ordered to fall back -
Having fallen back. abe captain called
tor volunteers to return and bring off
the battery. Sergeant Berry, Sergt
Stubs, Corporal r. Greeley and twelve men
belonging TO the 10th Maine regiment, stepped
forward The undertaking though hazrr-
dOus one, proved successful, as the abandon>
ed gun was brought off in safety. 1t was
while The fight was progressing at this point
that Gen. Bayard was fatally wounded He
had just reached Gen. Fiankfn's headquarters
in a small grove of the Bernhard House, and
taken seat under one of the trees when ball,
striking within few yards of him, glanced,
and then went through his thish. inhicting
fearful wound. He was Immediately conveyed
to the Bernard House, and placed in chnrpe
OF DIR. Philips, surgeon of the brigade. As he
was lying on the couch the Chaplain of the
Harris Light Cavalry approached and inquired
if he desired him TO write anything for him.
by and bye he replied then turning to Sur
geon Hockey, he inquired If he should be able
to live forty light hours. negative answer
being given, he further inquired if he shonld die
easy. Several of the surgeons in attendance
thought his life might be saved by amputatine
the wounded limb, but the chances were so
small he preferred not to undergo the operation.
He was perfectly sensible, aud never for once
lost that self possession which has always char
scterized him on the field of battle
About o'clock Gen. Birney's division of
Gen, Hooker's grand division, which had been