Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-12-19
NEWS Of THE WEEK.
By Telegraph.
My YoKK. Dec. II.


The Herald contains dispatches from the
.eadouarters Of the army of the Potomac
n3P. NJ. yesterday. 1t gives partial iiS'
Of the casualties. The following Is the SUD
stance OF the despatch
ur.,or.KrEKs IN TEE FIELD OPPOSITE
FRrnERIcksBuRG, Dec. II, P. NJ. !
R.,,rasr three and four O'Clock this morn
ing the pontOOn tram IN charge OF the i IN
and Goth n. Y. engineers under command OF
Gen. Woodbury. proceeded to the river bank
where with infantry supports AZ attempt
US ma Ie 70 throw three bridges across the
river. one at the point where the K. Il.
4-idqe formerly crossed. and two more nearer
Falmouth.
A dense fog obscured the movements ioT
nine. and the pontonieTs succeeded N par
tiallv constructing the bridges, when the
enemy opened close and deadly fire OF
.ausEe.ry from along tie banks Of the river
md windows Of the houses compelling
c5ssau.n Of tie w0gk.
some Of our men we've sinking II the
stream. and falling overheard hlated down
.be river. Retiring TO tie cover Of the sur
r7updin- ILLS tie aeu were again formed
and The attempt 20 bridge the river again t.
neweI. Nothing daunts5 by the fire Of the
rebel slarTsho5ta5s our ront0uisrz went gal
lan..v TO work. but 10 vain Tie s-o-n OF
bullets enyelop-d them.
Planks and boats were ridd.al y every
vgrsv and hey were compelled once more to
fall back TO the rear Of the hills.
Asitvas evident that tie rebels were de-
.e-mined to use the houses for defence con-
-..ry to implied agreement in the interview
which passed between the rebel authorizes
and our generals, orders were given to open .
fire upon the city
SHAREHOLDERS exposed themselves, were /
plainly visible and to them 0ur fire was i0r /
a time partially directed The Lombard /
ment became general. The shot and shell /
fell fi.t and thick into the doomed city.
About ten the engineers were formed for /
The third attempt TO construct bridge /
After the previous Intellectual attempt on the .
pz-t Of the. engineers to cross, a PARTY oil 80 /
men volunteered from acknowledgment under /
Cant. Marsh to assist in the endeavor to fa- .
ISL Iavins the bridges Once more the col /
umu started down - the river under the d. /
rsstion Of Gen Woodbury.. They seized the .
,lsnks and carried on some dozen or more .
70 the end Of the string Of boats Part Of .
them were compelled to retire under very T.
~aIlinr fire from the rebel sharp shooters, /
who were ensconeed IN riae pits below the I
range Of artillery, within Is OF % -slt o. .
the rivers edge. TIE pontoniers
suffered severely. The movement /
having been thus interrupted the whole .
marty were ordered back. Al II it w4s dis .
covered that one Of the houses was on fire. F.
The flames soon spread and Frsdericks5urgh .
was now envelopad IL fire and smoke. The /
fire which had been opened upon the rebel .
rias-pi;s from ou- batteries up the river had 1
been successful So i-r in driving the sharp
shooters from the vicinity Of the Il. j.
depot. The rebels sill maintained their
ground opposite the upper bridge The
cavalry are now passing Gen. Summers head
quarters c--oure 70 MAKE g charge across
the river at one u tAs forts. Reports from
the left state that Franklin's division has
crossed the river below rs.