New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-12-15
From OK Special Correspondent.

modern dwelling can be found, and Thing bear
quiet cultivated, finished look, az If il had close,
ts career of enterprise upon this earth and had re
tired upon q respectable competency. But to-day
this ety. once 80 quiet and attractive, il deserted
ruined, demolished town--a heap Of srnolderinl
ruins and falling dwellings, which have for weeks
been tenanlio-s Ind iOfs ken. Who would recognize
It TO night The LoaveIs are red with the flame,
Of tie old mansions; the atmosphere is full Of the
smoke from the smoldoiing emLors. The desolat.
ing blasts Of war prayed and songlt for, have at
last been visited upon her. What she chose, rather
than surrender hes been her portion.
But upon entering fTodeTicksbuTg and groping
through ttree,s cbok,d with burning timber and the
maugled bodies oithose who stayed until it was roc
late " 20 flee unto tie mountains," allow me 10
urn 10 this side Of tie itapghsnccE, and from tie
Phillips mansion, now well known 60 the readers
of he Northern Press AS the headquarters of Gen.
Sumucr, review the events Of ne past few days.
Ia ny last, a battle the greatest and the mos, I'M
pOTiant IN It's political results Of any fought duriug
The war, was predicted, IL few days. AL who
we're within lie lines OF The Army of tho Potomac
saw il day BY day gradually approaching: The
exact day and perhaps the week no one could toll.
Bet that this great army was Soon TO DO buried with
al The force and all tho skil it, General could COM
mand upon the enemy no one, Ut all familiar with
the army, foI O moment doubted.
QuaiterNasoIs were sirG'Ling every nerve TO
have everything in their departments ready ~ q
moments notice; oomnnsEares wcre urging for
ward ra'loDs in abundance Tor long marches aud n
iaiiguins campagni tie great poutooD train, drawn
by one thousand borses, and managed by $3.50
picked men, had every msn az work night aud DAY
10 have every bolt and rope and cord and anchor In
band and in ~ proper pl@.ei Regiments AID bng-
BGes were bong daily dllied N iho manouvera OF
he battlefield; heavy trains Of ammunition wagons
were Rubbing over the frozen roads, artillery
.ompanias We're going through ibe rapid nOyemen 81
-ogui ed for tie LVi,es, action everything, from
be nnutest detail Mp 10 The more general arnnCe-
ucns Of the army, was being ci'"s'y ATTENDED 70
md pushed forward 10 a state OF 'ency WIZ nii
be energy Tie heads OF The different department.
ould c0nma1d. Mountaineering tie nplafent in'
.chvly Oi the army, one could hardly see al thee
'ast populations going on without feeling he blood
low quicker iu bis veins - nulfe thfob, aud bis
ieaIt beat With I0Ofc Iapid oks and seeing IA hi
reans some of the suic ings and guasIly scenes q
he bnttlc-lell.
AT last the DAY drew near Yesterday there was
unusual Couim0;ion in camp. All knew by instinct
\ lat il meant. The General commanding lhe ARM
yis -oc1 IL close con uifs,iOn with tue Generals
Commanding maud divisions. Huge mare, With
very crock and valley and bill. with every house
nd hu, and barn, every BRUCE and pool disnnetly
raced upon tlom, were spread out upon tig table,
canned, and TIA ced with the closest scrutiny. Tie
rains OF those upon whom the responsibility Of &c
,aite would reet were talked to their fullest capa-
,ity. An able General, with a half clad and belf
4Ole1 army Al ns command, v 10 cApeoie1 20 10 re-
,ieuisbed In the inner and the outer man from the
torcs Of he Antagonist lay watching him behind
he nights OF Fredericksburg, and was 10 be met,
defeated, and, il possible sunihilated.
Tie evening o! the day upon which the struggle
vac 70 commence approached. The cold, f0m when
DO troops had cen suffering Tor the Iast few days,
lad made tie roads bard and firm 20 that transpoIia-
.F,.t1 L. Ia. Md l. L. 81
oads must not pars rnimproTcd Tie poniocu train
,sp he ca-i.y moved % he river. Tie heavy siege
rms and ai linds q artillery could be wheeled 70
commanding ro.jiops Now Is ne time 70 cro..7
no uvcr aud assault the enemy IN his sironA hold
( ever.
TIE commanding General saw with unernng IN
.tirct tic Advantages OK his -it1aiiOn. heavJ log
,ed for sovcrai DAYS concealed lis army from The
enemy. He activity could be known 20 him only
through SPIES. Early yesterday morning the orler
went forth. Gen. Sumner, next Ia rA1k TO Ger.
Burnside, commanding tue night wiugis 10 have Ne
advance. Tie pontoOn train II TO ie lad IN Tho
rf aud Ill the morning uuds Tho Ire OF 'ry ono
hundred aud twenty pieces Of artillery, tho night an
left wings OF the army are 10 30 We were IN
formed from highest sources as the evening ap-
preached IN anticipation Ol great battle, but iew
rersous are blegsed with e. equah.e nervous organ
izaton ne 70 be able TO sleep very much: Tie Lar
ardous undertaking, too Of laying tho porioon
flfgI I'll
little anxiety. lie boats are 70 heaV5 the aumor
Of horace required % draw them 20 great, and the
ds xer Of ranic nuoug both Gud horses 90 com
mon when 40 work under "a IRE from uufke'ty ana
artillery, that ;be success Of ihs TIC hft move
lreut W.b loo Cd upOa with much fpTfcleL-iln.
Tie Engineer Corps c0nsiit ted Of 8 900 men, under
tie command Of Gen. Woodbury.. IL u composed
OF two regiments Of volunteers, the 10Th New Iol x,
under Col Stuart, Tire 18TH New-lOIk Col. Nc
Lcod Murphy, gnd four COM auics 81 regulars.
IL WA originally designed to throw dcioss I'VE
BRIDGES, but lac IN the afternoon the order wha
cLabQed 10 three. The points selected were the Oh
pont0ou crossing Of the Gen. Mcdowell, a low rods
above the Lacey llouse, tao Ole fory below The
Railroad Bridge and spot sbont orc nile Hhd q
half south Of tie Railroad. lie distance nom t''
fret to the third bridge, OF rather from tue ngat 10
the left, ia two miles.
Mo labor OF Transporting the boats 70 the riyei
was UerforAel during the night On the way tiA
Of tbe teams broke down, aud the boats bad to Dc
lsn ON the road. All tic others arrived fnielV q
tLe river bank At the points selected for cfossnB
At A this morning the Loats were h0aled cut ih''
tho riyor. t.t. t.,l,,
Cart. Brainard, who haa command o. the bHiig'
On Ale ripbt succeeded IN completing 1t 10 Withi
twenty feet Of the opposite shore wnen, JUST hs u
was having The lsst boHts moved TO lheir placer
o,utdefous yoeY from 2OJ OF 800 sbhTpsh0cterS Goa
cealed in the houses, WaH poured upon ny heN
Twenty OF his best mcD were wounueu ht I,e hle
G-c-hime,f eeyeiJly, omon5 INC number III tn'
second round, Capt. Perkins Of the same regiment
the 5Oth Ncw.York fell dead, and Capt. McDonhi'
severely wounded. The loss OF theee experiences
officers aud meu compelled the remaining poluoA o
the corps 10 fail back and abandon the bridge:
The yolley from The sharpshooters was hreo a
precisely hall-past five upOn eienhi lfOin TWO en-
placed mon tie Hills below Fredericksburg. 1h
instant lie Rebels opened this battery and the arp
shooters fired upon ihe engineers, tremendous ar
from twenty batteries comprising one hundred an
twenty pieces placed in commanding positions iron
Falmouth on Tie right to half a NILE be ihs en-
On The left, was poured direct upon Fredericksburg
This order % 1hell the city never would have bee
given had moi The Rebels Themselves used tho bllc