Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-12-18

driving the rebel infantry from behind a
stone wall from which they had greatly an
noyed our troops during the day.
Here it lay during the night. Sykes
division of Butterfelds corps followed be-
tween Griffin and Humphrey to the front,
but arrived too late for action. Thus end
ed the conflict between our right and the
rebel left.
THE FIGHTING ON THE LEFT.
The lines Of General Franklin, as
tuse angle, one line Of which-General
Reynolds COrps-extended diagonally
from the river bank.
"Smith's corps in line parallel with
the river formed on the right of WilcoK's
corps. The extreme left was three miles
below Fredericksburg, andthe right of the
Left Grand Division was less than two
miles from the town. The extent of Cen
eral Franklin's lines then was more than
mile from right to left.
"The position of The different divisions
was as follows, commencing on the right;
First, Brooks Division, which lay upon
the ground along the road to Fredericks-
burg, running parallel with the river, aud
half way between it and the rebel bat
teries.
HHowe's Division next formed on the
left; on his right Joined Reynolds corps,
the lst Division of which, General Gibbons
commanding, took position in advance be-
vond the road. Meade's Division formed
an angle with Gibbons and extended to-
ward the river. Doubleday was next to
Meade, and rested on the river. This in
general was the position Of the Left Grand
Division when the action commenced.
" The first fire was made by the skir-
mishers Of the 18th Massachusetts in our
front. They had moved cautiously in ad-
vance of our lines for half a mile, when
discovering the enemy's pickets they fred
upon them. Cannonading soon commenced
in earnest. The hazy atmosphere of the
early part Of the day having cleared away
so as to give to each of the contending par
ties view of the position taken by the
other, Halls Battery, the 2nd Maine dis
covered battery Of enemy in close prox-
unity and opened q rapid and vigorous fire
upon it.
AIN a few moments the artillery fire ex-
tended along the entire line. The I'd. U.
S. ARTILLERY, Captain Ransom; Cooper's
battery Of Pennsylvania Reserves, and
NluBIbs lhAb dAA LGGCANDu q bGNGAC abAdCAs
The diminishing was kept up as our lines
advanced, and the position Of the enemy in
the woods was almost reached. A scatter
ing musketry fire continued from the first
advance, about O'Clock, till noon, and
with occasional lulls. The csnnons6ing
was heavy and severe.
" During the advance Of the left Grand
Division upon the enemy's position, Major
General Stoneman's corps Of the Second
Grand Division, Hookers, which had moved
to the vicinity Of the river the evening
previous, moved over the bridges. Gen
eral BirDey's Division, on the advance,
moved toward the left to the support Of
that portion of the line. Great enthusi-
asm was excited among the troops as the
battle flag of General Birney, of Stone
mans corps, was seen moving across the
plain, in advance of the flag, in deep col
umn, winding onward from the river.
General Birney received orders to
place himself in position to support the
right of General Reynolds corps in an at
tack which was momentary expected to be
made Orders TO advance having been re-
ceived, General Gibbons and General
Meade's divisions were directed to advance
upon the enemy in the woods and upon the
hill, holding the position if support should
come to them, abandoning it in case they
should be too severely pressed
"NOw came the most successful and de- |
effort on this part of our line
The attack wac made from the point Of in
tersoetinn of the angle formed Uy our lInes |
already referred to. This point was near |
est to the woods, and the enemy's shells |
uvara Fa1liunr fh5eklu o. hnuf II
"GibboHs Division and the Pennsylva- |
MIA Reserves advanced boldly steward the |
works of the enemy. They pushed deter |
minedly through the brushwOod and bush
es on to grove Of cedars, and through |
these up the hills toward the breastwOrks
Of the enemy. The works were carried,
many prisoners captured, and the crest Of
tie hill gained, not, however, without a
heavy loss.
General Gibbons had fallen, wounded
in the arm, while leading his command to
the attack. The works of the enemy at
this point were gained, but not held. The
enemy, unfortunately, possessed the
strength TO concentrate overwhelming
numbers of fresh troops upon the threat
ened point, and for all the valor of those
who survived, and all the sacrifices of those
who fell, the position had to be abandoned,
and our troops we're compelled to fall back
to the plain.
"They had penetrated peyond the rail
road and the Bowling Green turnpike,
through the woods and across the outer
works Of the enemy to the top of the hill,
and were then forced back to this side of
he railroad, where they maintained their
stand in advance Of that they had crigi-
lally occupied.
ain the meantime General Doubleday
had been constantly pushing the enemy
lpon the left. A most determined resis-
ance was made by the enemy as skirmish-
srs and with reserves and artillery. The
ire which during the forenoon was kept up
IN the left, told of the most severe,fghting.
For full mile the enemy was pressed
back, contesting the ground inch by inch,
and inhicting heavy loss. The
,nemy fell back upon his defenses and the
advantages gained was indecisive.
"During these successive advances and
,hecks along the center and left grand di-
,isions, an uninterrupted sheliing was
1ept up by tbs rebel batteries upon the
yyl;-- >R trnnns at different points of the
plain. At a large stone mansion near UHe
,enter Of our line, used as field hospital
Turing the day, an incessant fire was di-
-ected.
"Near this building General Bsyard
ound an untimely death. A shell struck
lin while sitting under tree within a
'ew yards Of General Franklin, in the leg,
without exploding. His leg was nearly
orn of, and he died in the course of the
.VeDing.
"Toward the middle of the afternoon
he firing along the line Of the left grand
division grew weaker and gradually set
led into a comparative lull.
"shOrtly before sunset, however, the