The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-12-26
strongly fortified position at sFredelicks-

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strongly fortified position at Fredericks-
burg. a..;,t,f v-atiiio 4asyr "a s.9r5-d
In front of this semi-circle is our posi-
zion, our line being parallel with the Rap
pahannock. We occupy, as it were, the
stage of the amphitheatre, while the enc
my has the auditorium Every available
position on the hills. is fortified by the ar
tillery in earthworks, overlooking COM
manding, and, IN many cases, enflading,
the open plain below, over which run the
railroad and the Bowling Green turnpike.
Our plan of attack was to make a sud-
den onslaught upon each flank, with view
OF turning one or the other; which done,
to overwhelm and pierce their centre. The
enemy however, endeavored to anticipate
our movements by advancing and attack
! ing our left at 8 A. NJ. This was Jacksons
move, but he was most handsomely foiied
I by Franklin, with Reynolds corps, who had
the extreme left To make this attack
Jackson had crossed the Massaponax from
the south side.
REBEL PRAISE OF OUR TROOPS.
/ The He,nld's correspondent says
I I have conversed with a good many
during, the day. They all accord to our
inch splendid bravery in attacking them in
their strongholds,
: It was murder to fire on such brave
men," remarked one, describing the gallant
manner in which our troops advanced upon
them. -" We waited till your men got close
up, and fired. Hundreds fell, but they
closed ranks and came on. We fired again,
and again hundreds fell Again they closed
ranks and came on. We were behind
protecting earthwork, and your balls whis-
tied harmlessly over US. We were taken
prisoners before we knew it," ea.
s''You have greatly the odds in this fight"
] observed, abiding to the time they had
OF their Notifications and batteries, and
the embarrassing river in our rear.
That's so, and we know it, was his
reply; ''but for all that we prefer peace to
fighting and murder -
SUNDAY FOLLOWING THE BATTLE.
The lribme's letter, dated Sunday,
says: ....
The Sabbath has been occupied with the
duties suited to the day. A few reports of
cannon have broken it's sacred quiet, and
the skirmishers have occasionally disturbed
the solemnity of the day with discharges
of musketry But chiefly the time has
been occupied with the last sad offices Of
respect to the dead and the labors of love
to the suffering and the dying. We have
spent the day amid scenes the most soften
ing and sorrowful, gathering the names of
those who lay stretched upon their straw,
grooming and signing with their wounds
many of them in the agonies of death.
We have witnessed the patient fortitude
of many, who with their wounds still I'M
cared for, have spent the night upon the
ground in the open air; we have been ia
miliar with the pale faces and exhausted
countenances of those who have suffered
amputation of limbs; we have seen brave
men writhing under the tortures of the
scalpel and the saw, and all the saddening
and frightful spectacles which the hospitals
present upon the day after battle. Such
scenes, which we would have gladly avoid
ed, have been constantly before us, as we
have stopped to hear from the sufferers
their names, THAR regiments and their
wounds.
The hospitals, we are glad to report, are
far better organized than we have ever
known them before. The new system of
details recently introduced by Dr. Later
man, Burnsides Medical Director, have
brought into the army an important and
gratifying reformation. Certain skillful
surgeons are selected for operations, 9th
ers for the other various duties of the SER
vice. The general air of seriousness and
care which has been exhibited contrasts
with what we have previous observed.
The best possible attention is giAen to the
wounded at all of the hospitals which we
have visited to-day. "a
IMPREGNABILrrY OF THE REBEL POSITION.
The Times thus alludes to the rebel DO
sition:
Regarded as position of defence, that
which the rebel leaders have taken up on
the Rappahannock, and which we have
been pleased to assail in the manner indi-
Gated and with the result known, none
could possibly be more magnificent or more
nearly impregnable. With fifty thousand
men they should easily hold it against three
times that number of assailants. And in
deed they appear never to have employed
more than about that number. Every time
we poured forward fresh men, they had
ready reinforcements to match. From
prisoners taken, l learn that on the right,
commanded by jackson, half of the force
only (and chiefly the division of A. P.
Hill, and Early's brigade) was engaged. I
take it that they had along the line of the
Rappahannock about one hundred thou
sand men, and that fifty thousand more or
less were actually engaged in the contest,
3 The Confederate leaders have acted with
their usual wilyness in this whole matter.
They did well TO. let us into Fredericks-
burg, firing but half dozen guns, when
they could have brought hundred to bear
upon us. The city itself was the veriest