Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1862-12-13
TIE Eseny D,ivea from Frtd.
ericksburg.
Oar Forces Marching Forward
10 GIVE battle - snc
1sheos.
AasoarANT FROM GEN. GRANTS
'"' ARMY.
.M,rgnM u IMrade Ken.
fMcky Again.
Especial to Herald
HEADQUARTE 5, OPPOSITE

i
and 18th New York Engineers under
commander Woodbury. proceeded to
the river bank where with Infantry sup
ports an ate MT was made to t1ro"
bridges across the river.
A dull haze so obscured the move
ment, that for time il was not
discovered by the rebel pckcts. The pom
TONERS had succeeded in partially con
st-uc,ing bridges, when the enemy sud
denly opened brisk and deadly ire
from the banks Of the river, and from the
windows in the houses, compelling n
cessation of the work Returning under
cover Of the surrounding hills, the men
again formed, and at 4 o'clock attempted
a renewal Of the work but the rebels
had now been thoroughly aroused, and
with reinforcement Of eharpshootcrs
swarmed 10 the opposite banks and
houses. Nothing dauated 10y the hot
fire which they poured IN al the r ap.
pearance OF orr troops, the pontooncrs
were gallantly at work. bat in yaln.--
Storms of bullets euvelopcd them, plauks
and boats were ridded by the enemy,
and they were once more compelled 10
withdraw and fall back under cover 81
the hills aud ridges, running parallel with
the river 1t was evident that the rebels
determined to use the houses Of the city
for defence, contrary t. our complied
agreement Orders were given to our
artIllcrymen 10 open fire upon the city
Accordingly Beniam Us. Edwards', Mul
ienberg's and other batteries Of the 9th
corps, together with batteries from the
corps Of the right and left, commenced
bombarding almost instantaneously. The
fog was SO dense that it was impossible
10 see but a short distance beyond tie
edge Of the river. The houses in which
the rebel sharpshooters had secrcled
themselves were plainly visible and Ia
them the fire was for n time directed. the
effect Of which was their partial demo
llilon. In short time after the first fire
they became unavailable by the rebel
rltlem n, who retreated to the rear OF the
town where they took shelter behind the |
hills. BY o'clock the bombsrdment
became general, aud from that time until |
! O'Clock a. IN. the Ioar of the artillery |
was inccssant.
The batteries of the 9th rakcd the
streets wi h shell and grape. ] he foo |
continues 10 obscure, in measure, the |
result of these discharges. The rebels,
with the grentest stubbornness, still kept |
within the city, and at tiaes parties of
them conld be seen gong from one poin,
TO another on double quick.
1t was somewhat singular that the
rebel batteries did not reform the fire of
our guns. Up to the present time they
have not opened.
At about ten o'clock the engineers
formed for the third attempt 10 con
struct bridge, and after several inetiect-
nal efforts on the part of the engineers
to cross, "A party of eighty men, OF the
sth Connecticut, under Capt Marsh. vol
unteered TO assist IN this, and endeayored
TO finish bridge, and once more the t
column, with this reinforcement, started
under direction Of General WOODBURY..
They received planks and carried out
q few dozen to the end Of the string of
boats, placed part of them and were
then compelled to return under a very 9
CALLING ire from the rebel sharpshoo.ers |
who were situated securely in rifle pts.
below range OF artillery, and within Is ]
or 20 feet OF the rivers edge. a
The engineers suffered severely. Tbo Y
movement having been thus interrnptol,
the whole party was ordered back 10 q
their original position. i
At ii o'clock ii was discovered fila,
one of the houses was on fire. Tho Il
names. which commenced in westerly !
part OF the city, soon spread, and lredc
ncksburg is now enveloped in fire aud
smoke.
An entilading fire has been opened on ,
the rebel rifle pits up the river. II has !,
been successful, so far, in driving the
from the vicinity Of the
RR. depot.
Engineers are now constructing bridges !
across the river. The rebels still main.
tam their ground opposite the upper
bridges. Pr
cavalry IS now passing Summers head
4uar'cfs' en- route 70 make a charge !
across the river at one Of the forts Fl
AcauIA Midnight. Dec IL p
Intelligence from the front to.ngb, 5,
states that our forces have crossed tbe v
rlver and are now in possession Of Fred.
eri:tsburg.
The enhlading fire from our batterie.
on the right, succeeded in drivin, the
rebels from the rife pits on the rivers II
edge, thereby permitting an easy and
rapid construction Of pontoon bridges.
ONGkEsSlONAL..37 I'll CONGRESS.
WAsHINGToN, Dec. IL.
SEEArR.-Proceedin0 un;,,.-..