, 1862-12-19
REFERENCES TO CT

+, r.. E-Ieu 6unlneI 8 p0n100ns-
+. F, F-Gen. FrankIin's line of battle.
several corpses. A few Of the wounded we're
dangerously Eo, but majority were able to
walk to tho hospitals. A great many of tile
wounded were sent to Point Lookout.
Especial Correspondence Of the n T. Times.1
PHILLIPS EoGsE HEADeHs. or GEs; SUMNER
OPPOSITE FEEpER1cKsBuEcH, "a.
IT, Saturday Midnight, Dec. 7s, 1882;
IEc battlc Of Fredericksburg, which has
been raging since 10 o'clock this morning,
Without a moments pause, was closed By
darkness tonight.
In its duration, its intensity, if not also in
the losses it has occasioned, it caps the eli
NIX Of the whole series of the battles Of the
campaign. The nation will stand aghast at
the terrible price which has been paid for its
life when the realities Of the battlefield Of
Fredcricksb sbuTg arc spread before it.
though serving to illustrate the splendid valorr
Of our troops, it has failed to accomplish the
object sought. The sequel alone can tell
whether the work Of to-day is to be the pre-
lude to a glorious victory Or an ignominlous
defeat. But the result thus far 1eaves us with
loss of from 10000 to L, GOO men, and abso.
1ntely nothing gained. Along the whole line
the rebels bold their own. Again and again
TIC have hurled forward our masses on their
| position. At each time the hammer was bro
I have no heart, in the mood which the
| events Of to-day have inspired, to write other
| than 4 bald record Of facts. Whatever there
| Was in the battle scene Of picturesque and
sublime and viewed merely Us 4 spectacle, a
| great battle displays these qualities in way
| human energy ever can-must shrink and
shrivel before the awful earnestness Of the
issue. OF courre, at this moment it is impos-
| sihle to give more than the most general i'm
f11r1 ,x1Fr J,C+4
| multitarlous and complicated for tile resources
| Of any one observer; and the man does not
! live who can reproduce with life and truth the
reality Of even The smallest engagement.
The theatre Of operations to-day extended
from Fredericksburg on the right, and down
the south side Of the Rappabannock for two
| miles. The accompanying diagram, together
with brief description, may Serve to make
the account 4 little clearer.
Immediately behind the town Of Freder-
icksburg tue land forms plateau or smooth
field, running back for about third OF q mile.
1t then rises for forty or fifty yards forming, 4
| ridge Of ground, which runs along to the left
for about q quarter of 4 mile, where it abuts
River, which emptics into the Rappa1lannock
west Of the town. At the foot Of the ridge
runs the telegraph road, f1anked by a stone
wall This eminencc was stnddcd with rebel
the ridge prolongs itself to opposite Fall
| mouth and beyond, and here, too, batteries
were planted on every advantageous position
Back Of the first ridge is another plateau, and
| then second terrace Of wooded hills, where
second line Of Qualifications were placed.
Between the rear Of the town and the first
ridge, canal runs right and left, aud enlpties
into the river soue distance above Falmouth.
t This plain, Of third Of 4 mile deep, betwcen
tho suburbs of Fredericksburg and the first
ridge Of hills, was the theatre Of operations ot
the right grand division of the army, under
Maj. Gen. Sumner. On this narrow theatre oul
brave troops surged and swept, forward and
: backward, in the tide Of battle, for ten long
hours.
A word now on the scene of operations 0,
the left grand division.
From fhc lower part Of the town the ridge
; on which it is built slopes abruptly down to
comparatively level or hndulating country
| which stretches for some miles down the Rap
: pahannock. About 4 couple Of miles dow
the river, it rises into wooded slope. At
c point & mile and q half below Fredericksburg
I | two pontoons had been thrown across OF
Thursday morning, and On Friday the Who'll
Of the left grand division, under the commant
t Of Mai. Gen. Franklin, had marched over th
river. Daylight Of Saturday found the fore
: drawn up in battle array on this broad plai1
= i. sBirting the Rappahannock.
. The battle ground, though very marshy il
r some places, presenteda fine field for militar
+ cvolutions. The turnpike leading to FredeI
y ickebnrg runs about one-half a mile from an
= nearly parallel to the river. Beyond is tn
d railroad, and still further beyond, the wood
z range Of hills in which tie enemy wer
half from Fredericksburg, nearly On the rive
edge, is situated 4. N. Barnords's stone mar
# sion, after the English style.
r. The line Of battle, as it appeared in th
under Gen. Smith {Franklin's old force), Q
0 the right, composed Of three divisions, nams
1 ly: Gen. Newton On tue extreme right an
h rear, Gen. Burke On the centre, and Ge1
~ Howe on the left.
n The LIST army corps. Gen: Reynolds, e,
d tending still further to the left, drawn MP !
4 the following order: Gen Gibbons divisio
" on the right, connecting with Gen. Howe't
&c Gen. hIeade's, centre, and Gen. Doub1eda,
$. left, fronting to the sonthward and rcstin
- der in which our forces were drawn up, the
~ being three distinct lines Of battle.
lc Opposed to our right, under Gen. Sumne
n | vas the rebel left, under command Of Gel
a | Longstreet. Opposed to our left, under Ge
Franklin, WAS the rebel right, under Ge
e. jackson. Gen. Lee, Generalissimo Of IL
rs Southern army, was in person in command
H. ! the Confederate forces during the whole day
r The plnn of Gen. Burnside, agreed upon
IL council Of VAT, was to endeaEor to pierce II
It, urday, the order was given, that Sumner
ID left, composed Of the 9th army corr
eo under command of Gen. Wilcox, shoa
ne be extendcd, until it reached Fran
Il, Inns rlght-thus forming continuo
~ miles, the left resting on the river at t
70 point where the lower pontoons cross, II
ITS the right on fredericksburg. The left win
ng comprising the whole Of frank1in's col
1nand, {50,oo0 men,) should then be swu1
'en treme right, resting on Fredericksburg.
he successful in this maueuyre, franklin won
The divide the rebel line, take possession Of t
m. railroad, (the line Of retreat), and come in
Gu, cricksburg. While this movement was bel
lch | developed, a division was to be sent up tre
Of Gen. Summers command, BY the plank roc
49, to storm the ridge. # there should be q
1no failnre in this, it was hoped the co-operati
ow Of franklin would presently make sncct
ror | SIS reserve.
'e- The dawn Of Saturday found the forces d
tributed as thus indicated. It was fine 7
ms ginia morning-mild and balmy as 3 septe
sed ber day, though the mist and fog Of late
h- dian summer hung over the field Of batt
ny About O'Clock, the Phillips House Il
wv. headquarters Of Gen. Sumner, about n
IT'S, from the river on the north side, and whe
,;,,. old soldier, had been staying tor some ii
'ng during spell Of camp feyer) was the seen,
OBJ | numerous assemblage Of officers. Gene
Burnside and Gen: Hooker Joined Gene
md Sumner here, and the balcony and grounds
w w front were filed with officers aud aides.
soV; It vas Withalarm an pain found gene
ion, want Of confidence and gloomy forebodi1
III. among come men whose sound judgme1
500 the | rebel stronshold direetly in fsont 70 % Won
rps, it was feared, prove most hazardous eni
500: prise, and one of which there is no success
,+.1 exam pie in military history. 1t was doub
'ta1, that the cooperation Of the right and left,
list cording to the programme, would admif
900;' practical executions, and things we're gene
inn IL at loose ends. 1.-THE chess-boar1," {
~ ~ Napoleon at Wagran, ais dreadfully c
AN fused; there is but I that see through
;otal We ali see that the first part Of the rem
rand was aPphea61e 70 or oVn cass: bat aia
case an ii" that 'ssaw through it q
un- About 1131z o'clock crossed the Rappo1
mock on the upper pontoon bridge, and pa
sar- ;,, et.sat 4a t+ tb;s t;r,a hr;sE II: u
up ing was going OIL in the outskirts. Of the tc
) aud the rebel sharp p~shooteEs stubtornly con