The Portland daily press., 1862-12-27
Saturday Morning, Dec. ~, 1862.
Correspondence Of the Press.
Letter from the Scene of Conflict.
HowARD's DIVISION. NEAR FAL-, !,

HowARD's DIVISION, NEAR FAL-)
MOUTH, VA, Dec. II, 1862. :
had thought 1t was too late TO write an
account of the great battle of Saturday, the
18th inst, for publication, but the newspapers
are SO full of mistakes and egregious false
hoods-in fact their reports, for the most part,
were SO evidently written by correspondents
who neither saw nor took pains to be correct
ly informed Of what they wrote, that it seems
due both to the army and to the public that a
truthful record be given though late, brief and
incomplete.
1t had been determined that Summers grand
division should storm the works which line
the hills in the rear of Fredericksburg Couch's
division, composed of French's, Hancock's and
fHoward's divisions, was on the right, Wilcox's
corps next to IL to the left, Franklin's grand
division crossed the river two miles or more
below and was expected to make a simultane-
GUS attack. Hooker's two corps were in re-
serve andeventuallv were sent, the one, Stone
hams formerly Heintzelman'sl to support
Franklin, and the other Butterield's former
ly Porter's) to support Sumner.
The rebel redoubts were located SO as to
command the streets running perpendicularly
TO the river, so that our troops were greatly
exposed when they passed the intersection of
the streets or If they attempted to march along
the streets mentioned. This was avoided as
much as possible.
At 10 o'clock a. m, Gen. French put his col
unn In motion, and Immediately the shells be-
gan to fly in quick and terrible succession.
He had selected Hanover street, the right side
walk Of which was in a measure concealed
from the redoubt whose embrasure opened
that way, and whose cannon was intended TO
enfilade that street. At the outer edge of the
town the street leads down into ravine along
which is ditch four or five feet Wide
French's column moved down first across the
bridge, filed into the field and faced to the front
They came under fire of the enemy's rifles be-
fore they reached the bridge. As soon as they
were in position they advanced delivering their
fire which took little effect upon the rebels in
,rife-pits. The storm OF bullets, coupled with
the shells bursting all about them and in their
very midst was too much. and Hancock was
soon needed to hold even the ground French
had occupied. Hancock's division filed to the
right and left of the road. They were veteran
troops and now maintained the character they
had won In many battles. They pushed tor
ward in the face Of the deadly fire; but the
greater part of their officers were struck down
and they could 90 no further. Gen. Caldwell
was wounded though not dangerously. The
commanders of his regiments were all shot
down. His Assistant Adjutant General who
is a younger brother, was wounded. Gen.
Howard, whose division had been held as the
reserve for the corps, because his divisin alone
had been In the action of the Thursday be-
fore at the taking of the city, was now order
ed forward
COL Owens brigade (the one commanded
by Gen. Howard at Antietam, led the way up
the street, down the ravine, across the bridge
and field In upon the left of the road. He
then advanced steadily until he had passed all
the troops then in the field and come close up
into the very teeth of the rifle pits. Then the
brigade halted and the men were ordered 10
lay low upon the ground-an order then were
out to obey under that terrific fire.
z The rebels had two lines of fire one from a
stone wall, and rifle pits-the other from fur
ther up the hill where they were concealed by
some evergreen trees. Col. Owen sent back
word that with support he would lead his
brigade forward in charge upon the rifle
pits. Meanwhile Col Hall with his brigade
containing the 10Th and Goth Mass, the 7th
Mich, and two N. Y. Regiments, which had
won so much fame, and suffered so severely in
taking Fredericksburg, crossed the bridge and
went in on the right. Col. H. attempted to ad-
vance utcould not In the face of the rife pit.
Gen. Sully was soon brought forward, the last
brigade Of Howard's division, Col Hall sent
word that he was fearful that he could not re-
tain his place. A portion of Sully's command
went to his support. Two regiments extended
his line to the right. One had been left to sup
port a battery. The 10Th Maine was placed
was the only one remaining to assist Col
Owen and this was to little support to allow
him TO advance again. About A o'clock
Humphreys division had arrived from over
the river and went in handsomy attended by
their General and his staff They went on
magnifcently until they reached point few
yards In advance of Col. Owen when the Gen.
eral had his horse killed, and then they broke
and fell back under the murderous fire, sweep
ing with them as they went the 127th Penn,
new regiment attached TO Owens brigade
that day.
About this time Gen. Howard sent one of
his batteries, Capt. Hazards r. /, which had
not yet been in action, across the bridge, and
Capt. H. took position upon the contested field
beyond, on the left Of the road. These guns
poured out an incessant fire for some time and
Were joined on their right by Banks battery.
This was the most destructive to the enemy,
ana most Inspiring to our own men of any
movement made. But soon Capt. ii. began
10 nre less rapidly and communicated to Gen.
Howard that so many of his men had been
Kiiied tnat he was unable to work two of his
guns. his ammunition was nearly exhausted
Capt. H. tried in vain to get volunteers to
work his guns from Humphreys command,
who are now just in his rear and under cover
of the hill.
Gen. Howard now consulted with General