The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-12-16
d Y TEL &C r APH.
From the Potomac Army.
Further Particulars Of the
Battle.
BAhEs EIPEBIHes LANDED
WAsHIu6roF. Dec. Ia.

Up to midnight no intelligenceIof i'm
portance has been received from the ar
my. There was occasional firing during
the night. but of little consequence or re
suits. The taking of several rife pit,
yesterday evidently gave rise to the report
that the first line Of entertainments hat
been taken.
A number Of wounded arrived TO night
and were conveyed to the several hospi
tails. Another beat load is On the way
The Herald says Ct Saturdays battle
that il ragged tiereely through the entire
day, and even after dark.
The fighting in our immediate front and
right, and beyond Fredericksburg, was
carried on by Summers grand division
Shortly after 8 O'Clock the ed corps. Gen
COUGHS. moved out from the upper part
of the city with strong detachments OF
skirmishers. The enemy retreated grad
uaHy, though they contested our pro-
gress with great stubbornness, and for
some time the rattle of musketiy was in
c"-~ant. At the time the moy ement
CON "a, need. batteries of the division
stationed on 'he bluffs across the river
opened with shell 10 cover our advance.
The rebel infantry ha,ies fallen back to
their first line OF entertainments and rife
pits, their batteries opened with vigor-
GUS and rapid fire upon our column,
which had now come to o temporary
halt, awaiting the result of the artillery
For crt.ila---
the bluff kept up heavy FIRE on the reb-
ell batteries with much better success.
The batteries on a high hill, nearly OPP
pcsite Falmouth, was finally silenced
During this time the rebel artillery was
almost entirely engaged in Smelling our
advanced troops. Hancock's division had
the advance, supported by other divisions
and corps, while the 9th corps, General
Wilcox's, remained under arms in town,
in readiness to advance. Soon after the
whole corps deployed into line of battle,
and moved forward to attack and storm
the rebel batteries, while from the enc
my's work h shower of shell and grape
and schrapnel tore through their bleeding
rsnks, Notwithstanding which they
steadily pushed on to the rife pits win
in . short distance of the first line of en-
trenrhments, from which they drove the
rebels, making prisoners of some, while
the remainder took refuge behind the
earthworks. This was accomplished af-
ter most heroic and long continued eff
forts, under CALLING and murderous fire.
Unable to hold out aganst the terrible FIRE
they now encountered, they finally re-
treated IN good ordcr, carry ing away their
wounded comrades.
They fell back to their original line of
picke,s, thus holding the ground which
they FIRST occupied, and which they held
until morning, when they were relieved
By Stoneman's command. just before
The advance of Couches corps heavy firing
and dense smoke on the left indicated
Franklin was advancing upon, and had
already engaged the enemy's sight faux,
and to open communication with him,
therefore, Wilcox detached his division
under Gen. Burns, and sent it 10 tie LIT
ny the edge of the river, with instructions
to advance under cover of the river
bank, until he could place himself in
close proximity TO Frankiins right.
After hard fighting Couches division
being unable to carry the rebel works,
the tremendous FIRE from their batteries
rendered it necessary for them to retire,
which they did when the order had ,een
given for third time.
1t was now dark, and the division fell
back to its original position, being six
hours under fire, and after severe lighting
on Franklin s left with varied success un-
til dark.
The relative position of the forces are
about the same as in the morning, except
that We have gained half a mile or more
on the left.
Philadelphia. Dec. Is.
The preea spacial fran Waeh;cctap