Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-12-22
Raleigh,

VIII al lntduC aud several little children
wandering along the railroad Fhe chill
dren weIe all barefeoted, and it made the
heart bleed to see their little blue feet
treading painfully the frozen ground, blind
ly following their poor mother who knew
as little as themselves where TO seek food
and shelter. Nearer the town we saw three,
women with number of children who had
established themselves 10 a three sided
shelter built OF rails, and covered and lin
ed with wheat straw. The open side of
the shelter faced the south and the uncon-
conscious children, warmed by the genial
rays of the sun, were playing as merrily
as II taere were neither war nor trouble
in tie world.
Ia t~o cabins within a mile and q half
OF The town, between twenty and thirty
woIneu and children were crowded. An
old gentleman who was standing near one
OF the butts informed me that at the fime
OF the threst of the cnemy to shell the
town he had moved ais household goods
and personal properly iuto fhe coantry.
but tAat few days ago thinking there
was no danger, he had carried them back.
Ills house was burnt yesterday and every-
thing he had in the world consumed in 1t.
| am afraid that number Of citizens have
been caught in the same way.
Before closing, will give You the mill
tary operations of to day. They have
been confined to skirmshing Early this
morning the enemy's skirmishers advanced
from the town in a southveSterly airec-
tion and attacked Arrnistead's Brigade. Of
Picketts Division. The skirmishing was
kept up for several hours, gradually ex-
tending along our front towards our right
which rests on the Rappahannock five
miles below Fredericksburg. The object
OF tie enemy was to feel our positions and
not e bring on an engagement. About
two O'clock the enemy drew out his nfan-
try sklrmishers, having accomplished his
reconnaissance, and with the hope of un-
masking our batteries, opened upon us
VIII bis hsaHH 81 Ihe 4fp4gFe 4 ao5 81
the Washington. artillery, stationed above
the town, and the Dabney and several 9TH
er batteries from points lower down the
stream, replied to the enemy's guns
The duel continued for several hours
Several of the enemy's she'll bursted di
rectly over the town, which are believed
to have fired building which was burnt
during the evening. 1t is difficult to &C
count for this act OF the enemy, as the
town was wholly occupied by his troops.
Before this end Of the engagement long
wagon train on the opposite bank of the
river, distant about two miles, came In for
a share of our shot. If any damage was
done on either side during this expeudi-
ture of ammunition we have been una
bic to learn it. About five o'clock the
firing ceased on both sides, and all was
again quiet along the lines.
The belief is general here with officers
and men that, with to-morrow's light, the
enemy will make his grand attack. Our
troops are put under orders to move to
the front at two o'clock, A. NJ. | need
not say more on this head, as before you
receive this, it will be known whether the
long looked for battle has been delivered.
l have seen and mixed with troops in
all the divisions of our army, and can on
ly say that a healthier, better clad, more
cheerful, joyous body of men the sun new
er shone on. They are filled with glad
ness at the prospect of the fight and thor
oughly confident of whipping the hosts Of
the insolent Burnside. 1t is said the enc.
my's forces on this side amount to one
hundred and ten thousand sixty thousand
having crossed just below Fredericksburg
and fifty thousand at the town itself. Our
forces front Fredericksburg on three sides,
, Longstreet's corps being on the vest and
/ south, and Jackson's ON the south and
east.
= cannot close without saying a word
for our citizen ambulance committee
They are here in force and prepared to
o render incalcufable service to our woun
r ded in the coming battle. From their ex
( tensive experience at Williamsburg, Sever
Pines aud the battles before Richmond
r they have an intimate knowledge of how
r the wounded should be cared for, and have
d come supplied with every article likely te
: be needed in carrying out their beneyolen
n objects. They to-day received sevent,
n wounded, who were struck IN the skir-
: mishes of yesterday and this morning
It and having supplied them with food ans
: drink, placed them on the Richmonc
e train.
:. CAMP NEAR HAMILroN's CRossIEG. ]
d Seven o'clock, A. NJ, December 18th. {
! The confidently expected battle has no
ID yet begun. At two o'clock this mornin.
N osr troops were all under arms and bate
lg ries in positions to receive the expecte,