The weekly Butte record., 1862-12-20
EASTERN NEWS.


Concerning Saturdays fight, the Herald S
correspondent says; 1t ragged fereely through
out the day ana evening until after dark. The
fighting in our immediate front and on the
right and beyond fredericksburg was carried
on by Summers grand Division, Shortly after
nine o'clock, General Couch's corps moved ont
from the upper part Of the city with strong
detachment of skirmishers. The enemy yield
ed gradually, but contested our progress with
great stubbornness and for some time the rat
tie Of musketry was iucessant. At the same
time that this movement commenced the bat
teries of the division stationed on the bluffs
across the river opened with shelf to cover our
advance The rebel infantry having fallen
back to their first line OF iutrenchments, their
batteries opened with a vigorous and rapid
fire upon our columns which brought them to
a temporary halt. For some time our artillery
on the bluffs kept up a fire on the rebel battle
ries, with considerable success, aud the rebel
battery On Tayiors Hill, nearly opposite Fal-
mouth, was iaally silenced. During all this
time the rebel artillery was entirely devoted to
shelng our advance. Soon after the whole
corps deployed into line OF battle and moved
forward to attack and storm the rebel right
batteries, while from the enemy's works q ter
rible shower Of she'll, grape and shrapnel tore
through their bleeding ranks Notwithstand-
ing this they steadily pushed on to the rife
pits within a short distance Of the first line Of
intrenchments. They drove the rebels from
the former, making prisoners Of some, while the
remainder took shelter behind the intrench-
ments. This was accomplished after most he
role and long continued efforts under a CALLING
and mu7dcrogs FIRE. Unable to stand against
this terrible fire. they finally returned in good
order, carrying away their wounded, to their
original line OF pickets. thus holding the ground
they first occupied, after having been six hours
under fire.
The number of our army at Fredericksburg
is estimated at 100000
New YoRK, Dec. 10.
Hilton Head advces by the gunboat Bien-
vile mentioa the expedition projected against
Mobile. Two steamers left on tie 10th with
troops for the South
The rebels in the vicinity Of Hilton Head
have erected powerful batteries on james and
Suliivan's Islands. and along the coast as far
as Bulls Bay, BeauregaId was intrenching
Charleston with forty Thousand men. The
health Of our troops at Port Royal was good
PHuADELPHIA. Dee. Is.
The Press Washington special dispatch
states that Gen. Banks landed at Winton
North Carolina, at the head of Cheowan river
and formed Junction with the troops from
Suffolk Virginia. 1t is supposed that be is
advancing on Weldon, Banks assumed the
chief command Of the troops under Generals
Foster, Peck, Auger aud Emory.
WASHINGTON, Dee. 10th.
The following dispatch was received by the
President at four o'clock, Sunday morning
HEADQUARrERs Army or tbs PoToxAC,
December l4th.
We have carried the first line Of the enc
emy's works opposite the town and three
miles below, and hope to gain the crest Of the
bill to-day Our loss in killed and wounded is
estimated at about FIVE thousand"
WASHINGroS, Dec 10th.
The following dispatch, dated Falmouth.
Virginia, $40 this morning, has jast been re
cejved
Il is raining fast. Tie river is rising rap
idly. Our troops are all OF this side Of the
riva~ pr1 Tho r,oe,t t11v- n RI ~,