Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-12-19

In its duration, its intensity, If not
also, in the losses it has occasioned, 1t caps
the climax Of the whole series Of the bat
ties of the campaign. The nation will
stand sghast at the terrible price which has
been paid for its life when the realities ol
the battle field Of Fredericksburg are
spread before it.
HOW GEN. BAYARD DIED.
at was while the fighting was progress
sing at this point ION the left that Gene
raj Bayard was fatally wounded. He had
just reached General Franklin's headquar-
ters in a small grove of the bernard
House, and taken a seat under one of the
trees, when ball, striking few yards in
front Of him, glanced and then went
through his thigh, inficting a fearful
wound. He was Immediately conveyed to
the Bernard House and placed in charge
Of DR.. Phillips, Surgeon of the Brigade.
As he was lying on the couch, the Chaplain
Of the Harris Light Cavalry approo ched
and inquired if be desired him to write
anything for him. 'By-and-by,' he repli-
ed; then turning to Surgeon Hockey, he
inquired if he should be able to live forty
eight hours. A negative answer being
given, be further inquired if he should die
easy. Several Of the surgeons in attend
ance thought his life might be saved by am
/ putating the wounded limb, but the chances
were so small he preferred not to undergo
the operation. He was perfectly sensi
bic, and never for once lost that self-pos-
session which has always characterized
him on the field Of battle.
GENERAL SUMNER.
Returning to the right I found Gene
raj Sumner seated on the front seat Of an
unyoked ambulance, at the Lacey House,
directly opposite Fredericksburg, at the
point where the first pontoon bridge spans
the stream. The veteran soldier had been
extremely desirous Of crossing over and
directing in person the movements of his
Grand Division, but the Commanding
General would not permit it, and as q
compromise he had come down from the
Phillips House, (which General Burnside
had made his headquarters for the day) a
mile from the river, and established it here
atits brink. could not help feeling regret
that the leashed old war-dog was not let
loose at the throat Of the enemy.
THRILLIBG AND MoMEEToUs ORDERS.
"At o'clock an aid from General
Couch says that his (Couch's) troops we're
advancing finely but that Wilcox was not
keeping up. Tell General Wilcox re-
plies General Sumner, tell him he must
make the Ninth Army Corps keep pace with
the Second, if he cam
"At 81 o'clock, Sturgis, who has been
elinging to the valley amid showers Of fire,
is so hotly pressed that 'he hardly thinks
he can hold his own until Griffin comes
up
"At o'clock, French reports that his
right is held by brigade (Msson's) which
is without ammunition
"Sumner sends a message begging Burn
side that Franklin be directed to advance.
But Franklin cannot advance. He has
enough to do at this moment to hold his
own, for Jackson has just thrown in rein
fOrcements, and is pushing hard to turn his
left
meantime the reserves have not been
touched. Hooker's central Grand Division
fifty thousand fresh men-have not yet
been engaged indeed, are yet mainly on
this side Of the river.
"'T Tell General Burnside that he had
better by all means, throw some of Hook
er's in
burnside replied that he has directly
ordered Hooker to go in, and that every
man on this side Of the river shall cross.
GEEERAL BURNSIDE.
AT this time, General Burnside, who
had remained all day at the Phillips Heuse,
came down TO the Lacey Hnnsa; and, in the
garden facing the city, followed the pro-
gress Of the fight. Externally calm, the
leading player in this tremendous game
was sgitated by such intensity of feeling
as one can conceive, and ne paced the gar
den gloomy as night.
"tThat crest, he exclaimed passionate
ly, must be carried tonight
THE CLIMAX OF THE BATTLE.
"Creeping up on the flank by the left,
Getty's troops succeeded in gaining the
stone wall which we had been all day un-
able to wrench from the rebels. The other
forces rushed for the crest. Our field bat
tsries, which, owing to the restricted space,
had been but little used all day, were
brought vigorously into play. 1t was the
fierce passionate climax of the battle
From both sides two miles Of batteries |
belched forth their fiery missiles athwart !
the dark background of the night. Vol |
leys of musketry were poured forth such |
as we have no parallel Of in all our expe- |
rience Of the war, and which seemed as
though all the demons of earth and air |
were contending together. Rushing up |
the crest our troops had got within stones |
throw Of the batteries, when the hill top |
swsrmed forth with new reinforcements of |
rebel infantry, who, rushing upon our |
men drove them back. The turn of die |
decides such situations. The day was |
lostl Our men retired. Immediately |
cannon and musketry ceased their roar,
and in \ moment the esilence Of death sue |
ceeded the stormy fury of ten hours battle. |
"As General Burnside, turning, walked |
off through the garden, and mounting his |
horse galloped back to his headquarters, |
what thoughts and feelings passed through |
his mind2 No illusions could make him
believe that a victory had been achieved. |
THE RESULT.
"Shall we say, then, it was q defeat |
Certainly, if to have started out to accom-
plish q certain object, and to have failed |
in doing so, be a defeat, you can apply /
no other term to the upshot Of to-day's |
battle.
"The Confederate leaders have acted
with their usual witness in this whole |
matter. They did well to let us so easily |
into Fredericksburg, firing buthalf dozen
guns when they could have brought hun
dred to bear upon US. The city was the |
veriest trap that was ever laid-and we |
have walked into it."
General Graut again in Motion.