The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-12-25

and blessings to me. Good took care
of one for me; as Willie said, swe
knew that it was for the best. The
rest married in the course of time, and
left me; bat the prop of my old days
the one whose industry and manage.
ment gave me this plentiful and com
Portable home, has never left me since
the day gave him away"
The Battle of Fredericksburg..Incid
of the Day.
Correspondence of the n Y. World
FREDERIcKsBURe, Va, Dec 13.
The battle to day has been obstinate
and bloody. Our troops took up their
final positions for the attack at day.
light under cover of the dense fog.
which did not fully clear away until II
O'Clock. Hooker's grand division, vet
ON the other side, also began crossing.
Stoneman's corps to the support of the
left and Butterfeld's to the right.
The enemy have tremendous advan.
tages OF position, equal at least to three
to one. They occupy n range of hills
of semicircular shape, with their right
resting on the Rappahannock and their
left upon their strongly fortified posi-
ton at Fredericksburg.
In front of this semi circle is our no.
sition, our line being parallel with the
Rappahannock. We occupy as it were
the stage of the amphitheater, while
the enemy has the auditorium. Every
available position on the hills is forti.
fled by artillery in earthworks, over.
looking, commanding, and in many
eases cntlading the open plain below.
over which we advance, and through
which run the railroad and the Bowl.
ina GH~.ts-eurrpftc.
Cnr plan -0f- -affaf.lr
sudden onslaught upon each flank, with
Il view of turning one or the other
which done, to ovcrwhelm and pierce
their center. The enemy, however,
endeavored to anticipate our move
ments by advancing and attacking our
left at 9 P. NJ. This was Jackson's
move, but he was most handsomely
foiled by Franklin, with Reynolds
corps, who had the extreme left To
make this attack Jackson had crossed
the Massaponax from the south side.
General Reynolds Immediately sent
Doubleday's division to the extreme
left, who gallantly checked the enemy's
advance, and forced him TO fall back on
his artillery.
This heightened our left SO that Gen.
REYNOLDS three divisions were dis
played in line of battle -Gibbea-hav.
in0 the righ&- -M~~ae-thc centre, and
Doubleday the left, with Birney's di-
vision of Stoneman's corps, coming up
to their support.
After the enemy's attempt on our
left had been foiled, Gen. Meade was
ordered to open the attack by advanc-
ing upon the enemy, to which lie re-
sponded very promptly, and by 105
o'clock was sharply engaged, and driv-
ing the enemy vigorously. Gen. Glib
bon, on the right of Meade, also push
ed forward, and after all hours severe
| fighting the enemy were driven through
the woods in our front, over crest be.
hind, and out of the railroad beyond,
the embankments and cuts of which
they used as breastworks. Here these
divisions made a most gallant charge,
and captured 800 prisoners. Every
thing now seemed fair for succeeding
on the left, if this position could be
held until supports came up. AT IL!
o'clock Gen. Reynolds reported thai
he had advanced as far as he could un
til the enemy's artillery was silenced
and our batteries were advanced, and
more were sent to his aid. The artil
ery fire now hecame terrible along his
whole line, Smiths batteries also TAX
ing part in order to annoy the enemy's
reinforcements which were moving up
and to divert the attention of the rcbe
artillery on the right and centre, " whicl
, attempted to enfiIade our advanced po
sition. Birney's division were now
coming up rapidly to the support of th'
left. and Newton's division of Smith,
CORPS. which had been in the rear o
/, the centre, was ordered to move to tn
support of Howe's division on the lef
, of Smith, whose flank had been some
+ what exposed by the advance of 1sey
nolds.
!. The enemy. however, threw !arg
f body of fresh troops upon Meade am
Gibbnn, causing the Pennsylvania Re
I serves. who had been holly engaged a
morning both in line and as skirmisI
els, to falter and fall back in confusion
This left Gibbon exposed, and he WA
: also compelled to retire, which he di
regularly and in good order, himse
# wounded, expecting TO meet his SUI
% ports Immediately in the rear. But III
,isordered retreat of the Reserves
y Notwithstanding the earnest efforts {
Gems. Meade and Stoneman 10 chec
them, impeded the advance of Birncy
St division, and the gallant fellows faiIe
9 to relieve Gibbon, who, sorely preSse'
: fell back through the woods which ha
'e been taken, until his right again COZ
d nected with Smith. Birney now SCI
y in three regiments, who rushed fo
ward with wild cheer, and checkt
n the enemy's further advance in that d
m reclion. Doubleday, in the meanwhil
n. bad kept up brisk artillery fight, ar
lie the position was secure, we holdir
as three fourihs of mile more gronl
r. than we did in the morning, and ha
ing lost portion only of what h'
n been gained by the advance OF Meas
ID and Glbbon. This was the status