Maryland free press., 1862-12-19
THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. i
BdMBAabMEsf os rRlbER cxssuae.
PREPARATIONS FOR THE ATTACK. q,


scene Of action, dated Wednesday night, IA
fex hours before the engagoment,l notes the
following preparations for the attack; r's-'
A bright, clear day has been followed by
glorious night. Since sunset the rumbling of
artillery is being heard from all directions
The long ponderous pontoon trains arc slowly
rolling over the roads to, the river. Long COLI
umns Of troops are everywhere in notion
At three o'clock the engineers will begin their
work, and with daylight five bridges will be
laid. Every hill commanding. the opposite
side is crowned with artillery, and every shell
tcring ravine near the liver crarnmed full with
infantry. .... .,......
As soon as the fog will have sufficiently
cleared away in the morning to give aim to
our artillery, the troops will commence mo-
wing over the bridges, with Gen. Summers
command in the advance. Those hundred
guns will be in position to sweep away every
obstruction with a hurricane of shot and she'll
such as never befcrt resounded on this CONT
nent.
About dark a number of signal rockets were
observed ascending on the other side, and gave
rise to the apprehension that the enemy were
appriscd of the impending movements; but
as fog settled upon the river and valley early
in the morning, and the banks are strongly
pickctcd FOR miles, it is hardly possible tha.
such information has already reached them.
From the uppormost point selected for eros
sing it is only two miles to the lowest, and
hence the sanguinary spectacle will he enacted
With concentrated intensity. The army was
never in better condition and moro eager for
battle ..' -.
COMMENCEMENT OF THE ATTACK.
The poontoon trains are being laid under
tremendous fire of artillery and musketry.-
the first shots were fired from the rebel right,
a short distance below fredericksburg The
boats for the bridges at Falmouth andin front
of the Lacy House, were nearly all foated into
their proper positions before the enemy open
ed his fire. The first vollcy was fired upon
the Lacy House bridge, and was very severe,
creating much confusion among the horses,
and ror u nlonieiIt delaying the work upon the
bridge. The rebels are under the protection
of the houses in fredericksburg, and are
firing from The windows and roofs Of nearly
all located near tha points Of crossing
DETAILS OF THE BATTLE.
,, ...rs>. HEADQUARTERS.
Opposite fredericksburg, Dec. 41-3 P. II.
Between four and five o'clock this morning
the pontoon train, in charge of the Seven
teenth and Fiftieth New York Engineers, and
under command of Gen. Woodbury., proceeded
to the river bank, where, with infantry sup
ports, an attempt was made to throw three
bridges across the river--one at the point,
where the railroad bridge formerly crossed,
and two more opposite the city, but nearer
Falmouth .. ...... 70 ....,. ..-.. ST..
A dull haze SO obscured, the movement that
for time it was not discovered by the rebel
pickets. The pontooners had succeeded in
partially constructing the bridge when the
rebels suddenly opened very brisk and
deadly fire of musketry from along the banks
of the river and the windows of the houses,
compelling the cessation of the work. Some
of our men were shot midway in the stream
aud falling overheard from the boats, aoeted
down the river. ... ......,.t,.
Returning to the cover of the surrounding
hills, the men were again formed, and about
six o'clock the attempt to bridge the river was
but the rebels had now been thor
oughly aroused to sense of what was going
forward, and with reinforccments of sharp
shooters swarmed the opposite banks and hou-
ses Nothing daunted by the hot fire which
they poured in at the temperance of our
troops, the pontooners went gallantly to work.
But in vain. A storm of bullets cnveloped
them. The air was alive with the leaden mes
sengers of DEATH The planks and boats were
rddled by every vollcy. a' Esd
Once more they were compelled to with
draw and they fell back TO the cover of tn,
ridge of hills running parallel with the river.
As it was evident that the rebels were deter
mined to use the houses of the city for de-
fenser contrary to an implied agreement in the
which recently passed By flag
of truce, orders were given to our artillery
men to open fire upon the city. Accordingly
Benjamin's Edwards, Muhicnburg's and 9th
er batteries of the Ninth corps, together with
the batteries of tho corps to the right and left
Of the city, commenced an almost simultane-
GUS bombardment The fog was so dense that
it was impossible to see but short distance
beyond the edge of the river. The houses,
however, in which the rebel sharpshootcrs had
ensconsed themselves, were plainly visible,
and to them the fire was for time particular
ly directed. The effect was their partial de-
molition in short time. After. the first fire
they became untcnablc by the rebel riHcmen,
who retreated to the rear of the town, where |
thoy took shelter behind the as yet unharmed
buildings.
BY sovcn o'clock the bombardment had be-
como general, and from that time until one,
o'clock the roar Of artillery was incessant,
while the shot and she'll fell fast md thiSk in.
TO the doomed city.
From the vicinity ofthe Lacy House. brick !
building overlooking the centre of the city, |