Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-12-26
THE BATTLE 0E FREDrslsHCKS
BURG HEIGHTS


account of the retreat of Burnside to tn
north bank of the Rappahannock. w
make up the article from various sources
condcnsing and expunging much that is o
interest Which our space will not permit o
publishing:
In its duration, its intensity, if not also il
the losses it has occasioned, it caps the eli
max Of the whole series of the battles of the
campaign. The nation will stand aghast Al
the terrible price which has been paid for its
life when the realities of the battle of Freder'
icksbury are spread before it. Unhappily
like many Of our engagements, though serv-
ing to illustrate the splendid valor of or
troops, it has failed to accomplish the object
sought The sequel alone can tell whether
the work of day is to be the prelude to a
glorious victory or an ignominious defeat
But the result thus far leaves us with loss
of from 10000 to 10, 900 men, and absolute
" nothing gained. Along the whole line the
rebels holds their own. Again and again we
have hurled forward cur masses on their po-
sition. At each time the hammer was bro
ken on the anvil ! have no heart, in the
mood which the events of the day inspired,
to write other than bold record of facts.
Immediately behind the town of Freder-
icksburg the land forms plateau or smooth
field, running back for about a third
of mile. It then rises for forty or
fifty yards, forming ridge Of ground, which
runs along to the left for about quarter Of
mile, where it abuts at Hazel Dell, a ravine
formed by the Hazel river, which empties
into the Rappahannock west of town. At
the foot of the ridge runs the telegraph road,
flankcd by a stone wall. This emincnce was
studded with rebel batteries TO the right,
along up the river, the ridge prolongs itself
to opposite falmouth and beyond; and here,
too, batteries were planted Oh every advan-
tageous position. Back of the first ridge in
arether plateau, and then second terrace
Of wooded hills, where second line of forti-
fications were placed. Between the rear Of
the town and the first ridge, canal runs
right and left, and empties into the river
some distance above Falmouth. This plain,
Of third of a mile deep between the suburbs
Of fredericksburg, and the first ridge of hills,
was the theatre of operations of the right
, grand division of the army, under Major
General Sumner. On This narrow theatre
our brave troops surged and swept, forward
, and backward, in the tide of battle for ten
/ long hours.
The plan of General Burnside. agreed up
, on in council of war, was to endcavor to
i pierce the rebel center Early on the morn
(, ing of Saturday, the order was given that
! Summers left, composed of the 9th army
corps, under command of General Wilcox,
/, should be extended until it reached Frank
/ Inns right-thus forming continuous line
1 of battle along the river for two miles, the
! left resting on the river at the point where
| the lower pontoons cross, and the right on
!, Fredericksburg. The left wing, comprising
the whole of Franklin's command, 10000
/, men, should then be swung round as on a
1 pivot, formed by Summers extreme right,
! resting on fredericksburg. If successful in
this maneuvre, Franklin would divide the
. rebel line, take possession of the rail road,
/, 1.-THE line of retreat) and come in on the flank
j of the rebel works back of Fredericksburg. -
: While this movement was being developed,
division was to he sent up from Gen. Sum-
+, ner's command by the plank road, to storm
/, the ridge. IF there should be any failure in
I, this, it was hoped the cooperation of Frank
| lin would presently make success certain
: I1ookcr's corps was destined to act as re-
1 serve.
The dawn of Saturday found the forces
distributed as thus indicated. 1t was q fine
Virginia morning-mi!d and balmy as Sep
ten,ber day, though the mist and fog of late
Indian summer hung over the field of battle
1t was with alarm and pain found gen
eral want Of confidence and gloomy forebod-
,irg. among some men whose sound Judgment
had learned to trust. The plan of attack
ing the rebel stronghold directly in front,
would, it was feared, prove hazardous en-.
terprise, and one of which there is no sue
,cssful example in military history. 1t was
doubted that the cooperation Of the right
land left, according to the programme, would
admit of practical executions, and things
were generally at loose ends "Thc chess
boaid," said Napoleon at Wagram, lis dread
fully confused there is but | that see thro'
,it." We all See that the first part of the re-
mark was applicable to our own CASE, But
did we al feel equally confident that there
was in our case an Il" that saw through
i?"
About noon brisk skirmishing was going
on in the outskirts of the town, the rebel
tsharpshooters stubbornly contesting every
inch of the ground as our skirmishers adj
vanced.
In the meantime Franklin had been for a
couple Of hours briskly engaged with the en-
envy on the left. The force in fredericksburg
had driven the rebels Out of the suburbs OF
the town and rested their column on the ca
nal. The time had now come to attempt an
advance on the rebel position.
The orders were to move rapidly; charge
up the hill and take the batteries at the point
Of the bayonct. Orders easy to give, but
ali how hard Of execution.
Look at the position to be stormcd.
There is bare plateau Of quarter Of a
mile, which the stormng party will have to
cross. In doing so, they will be exposed to
The fire, first of the encmy's sharp shooters,
posted behind a stone wall running along the
oasc Of the ridge-of a double row of rife
BITS on the rise of the crest-of the heavy
batteries behind the strong field works that
stud the top of the hill-of powerful infan-
ry force ROW lying concealed behind these
4 Il a pfunging fire from the batteries on the
over range-of double enfilading fire from
cannon to right of them, cannon to left of
hem" Sebastopol was not half so strong.
The moment the troops exposed themselves
N the railroad, forth burst the deadly hail.
from the rifle pits came the murderous-
lined missiles from the batteries, tier above
ier, on the terraces, shot planes of fire !;
rom the enfilading cannon, distributed on
he arc Of circle two miles in extent, came
cross showers of shot and shell Imagine