Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-12-15

none uoIe buDAAulo anu III Po9AA5 INN 49,
bOmbardment Of city, such as is graphi-
cally detailed in the letter which we copy
below. It gives description Of Thurs
days operations, when thepOntOOn bridges
we're being laid for the passage Of the Fed
eral troops from the north side of the
Rappahannock to Fredericksburg. We
quote from the correspondence of the New
York Times;
FREDERIcKsBuRs, Va, Dec. II.
al localize this letter Fredericksburg,
but it is assuredly living Fredericksburg
no more A city soulless, rent by wraek
Of war. and shooting up in flames athwart
nights sky, is the pretty little antique
spot hv the Rappahannock, erewhile the
peculiar scene of dignifed ease and retire
ment.
aThe advance of the right grand divi-
sion Of the Army Of the Potomac rests
here tonight, after a series of operations
which are certainly among the most ex-
traordinary of the war. 70 those who re-
tired to rest, uninformed Of what night
was destined to bring forth, the spectacle
this morning must have seemed strange
enough to be the improvisation Of the ma
gieian' 8 art. One hundred and fifty pieces
Of cannon covered the circular sweep OF
the heights of Fredericksburg; 10000
men in battle array had sprung from the
earth. and lay, ready for the advance, be-
hind those heights. But to the initiated,
who spent the night in -vigils, and knew
what work crowded its busy hours, 1t was
an ;ntellioible enough. All night heavy
artillery came, and came with its cease
Iegs heavy rumble, and as each battery
arrived from the rear it was posted in the
place selected fer 1t by The Chief Of Artil-
iery. All night the perpetual tramp of
men moving 10 the front filled the air.
Pontoon trains unwound their lank, snake
like forms, and were drawn, each boat by
its team, down to the rivers brink.
al had been determined, in council Of
war. held on Wednesday, that, instead of
extending our lines Of operations along the
river from Falmouth to Port Conway, the
entire army should be crossed at or near
fredericksburg.
rFiye pontoon bridges were to be thrown
across the river-the first at the Lacey
House, which lies directly opposite the end
Of the main street of Fredericksburg, half
mile below Falmouth the second and
third within few hundred yards from the
first. The remaining twOWere to be thrown
overa mile and 6 half or two miles further
down the stream, and on these the grand
division Of Gen. Franklin-the left
would cross, while Summers and Hooker s
grand divisions-right and center-would
use the three upper ones.
at was about 8 O clock this morning when
the boats were unshipped from the teams
at the rivers brink Swiftly and silently
the engineer corps proceeded to their work.
A dense fog filled the valleys and water
margin, through which the bridge builders
appeared as spectral forms. The recital
Of the Times special correspondence with
the left will inform you of the detGils
of the construction of the two lower
bridges. Work there was per-
formed with perfect success-the engi-
neers being allowed to complete the hrst
without any interruption whatever, while
the construction Of the other was slightly
interrupted by the fire of the rebel sharp
shooters.
ave are not so fortunate with the upper
bridges. The artifcers had but got fairly
TO work, when at FIVE o'clock the firing OF
two guns from one of the enemy's batteries
| announced that we were discovered. They
were signal guns. Rapid vOlleys Of mus
kerry. discharged at our bridge builders
Immediately followed This was promptly
responded to by our side, by the opening
Of several batteries The fog, however,
still hung densely over the river. It was
still quite dark, and the practice of the
artiIlerists was necessarily very much a.
random. The Engineer Corps suffered
severely from the fire of the Sharpshooter.
/ concealed in the town. The little band
/ was being murderously thinned, and pres
emily the work on the bridges slackened
and then ceased.
Meanwhile the firing from our batter
les, posted about mile from the river
was kept up vigorously. The effect wa
singular enough, and it was difficult to be-
/ lieve that the whole affair was not phan
tasa magoria. It was still quite dark, th'
horizon around being lit up only by thu
fash of projectiles, which reappeared il
i explosion on the other side Of the river.
"Daylight came, but with it came no
elearuess of vision for on-loOkers. Th
mist and smoke not only did not Tighten
but grew more opaque and heavy, hugginl
the ground closely. Our gunners, how
ever still continued to launch their mis-
siles at q venture. The rebel batterie
hardly returned our fire. and this chari
ness of their ammunition they preserves
all day-not a dozen rounds being fire.
during the whole forenoon.
"ToWard o'clock large party Of Gen
eral Officers, among them General Burn
side, the Corps Commanders, and man.
others of high rank, had congregated i
front of and on the balcony Of Genera
Summers headquarters, Phillips HOUSE
situated about mile directly back Of tn
Iacv House. The performance could b
heard, bat not seen-the stage was obst
nately hidden from view, and all were I'm
patient that the curtain should rise. Aid
and couriers came and went with message
to and from the batteries and bridges.
"At nine and a half O'Clock official net
: 6cation was received that the two bridge
on the extreme left we're completed, an
Gen. Franklin sent to Gen. Burnside
know if he should cross his force at ono
l | The reply was that be should wait unit
+ the upper bridges WAsre also completed.
"Meantime, with TIE latter but lit
progress was made. &1aring the nel
D couple of hours half a dozenNsempts wei
= made to complete the bridges, but eaC
e time the party was repulsed with sevel
loss. On the occasion of one essay, CAP
Brainerd, Of the Fiftieth New York Vc
unteer Engineers, went out on the bridl
= with eleven men. Five Immediately ft
I by the balls of the rebel sharpshooteI
-, Capt. Perkins led another party, and VI
! shot through the neck, and the sixty-six
b and Fifty-seVenth New York regiment
n which were supporting the Piftieth al
If Fifteenth New York Volunteer Engineer
Gen. Woodbury's brigade, suffered sever
ly. It was hopeless task, and we ma
little or no progress. The rebel shar