The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1862-12-18
Over 100 prisoners have been taken

since our army crossed Tie river. M
WAsHINeTON. Dec. l4-Up to mid.
might no important intelligence had been
received from the army. Occasional fir
ing took place during ths day, but was
Of little consequence in its results.
The taking Of several rife pits yester.
day evidently gave rise to the report Of
the taking of the 6rst line ofthe enemy's
works,
The Herald says Of Saturdays fight. it
ragged 6ercely through the entirerday, and
evep after dark. Fighting in our immed.
late trout and right. and beyond Frsder-
icbsburg, was carried on by Summers di'
vision. Shortly after 8 O'Clock the q
corps. Gen. Coucb's. moved out from the
upper part Of the CITY with strong de-
ta,hmept Of skirmishers,
The enemy yielded gradually, though
they contested our progress with great
stubbornness. and for some time the rattle
Of musketry was itcessant. At the same
time that this movement commenced tue
bstteries Of the divisions stationed on I,lu6s
across tie river opened with shell to Gov
er our adyehce. ''' 2
The rebel infantry having fallen back
to their first line Of iutrepclimeuts and RI
de pits, their Batteries opened with vig.
orous and rapid FIRE upon our columns,
which had now come to TEMPORARY halt
awaiting the result OF the artillery firing.
For some time our artillery on the bluff
kept up heavy fire on the the rebel bat.
leries with much better succ So. The
batteries on Taylor's Hill, nearly opposite
Falmouth, we've finally siltnced During
this time the rebel artillery we're almost
entirely devoted TO shelling our sdvsnced
troops. f. .-..f -..ft-.. ..-s
! Haneocks division had The advance,
Esppported by the other division of the
corps, while the Ninth corps, Gen Wal.
cox, remained under arms in town, n
readiness 10 advance. Soon after, while
Edeployed into line of battle, and marched
forward TO attack and storm the rebels
right battsries. while from the enemy's
works terrible shower Of shell, grape
and sshr puel tore through their bleed
ing ranks, no. wit5tanding which, they
steadily pushed on 10 the rife pits, within
! a short distance of the first line Of in
lrenchments. From the former they drove
the rebels, making prisoners ol some,
while the remainder took refuge behind
earthworks. This was accomplished aI-
ier most heroic aud long continued efforts
: under Calling. murderous fire. Bsng
unable to hold cut against the terrible
= fire they now encountered, they finally re-
. tired In good order, carrying away their
/ wounded comrades.
, They fell ba k to ther original liae Of
t pick is, thus holding the ground which
they first occupied, and which they held
until morning. Wien they we're relieved by
S'oneman's cammand, Just before the
. advance Of Couch's corps, heavy firing
and dense smoke on the lgft indicated
that Franklin was advancing upon aut
3. had already engaged the onemys righ
. flank.
f. To open communication with him
+, therefore. wilcox detached his division
. under General Burns. and sent it to th'
b left by the edge OF the river, with instruc
tions to advance under cover Of the rive
hank until he could place himselfin clos
proximity to Franklin's right Ate
hard fgh'ing. Couch's division ing un
able to carry the rebel works, the tremend
ons Gre from their batteries rendered
necessary for them to retire, which tho
+ did. when the order had been given 70
q the third time.
Ii was now dark, and the division fe
Ir back to its origin'l position, afier bein
ia six hours under fire. after severe fghtin
:, on FrankliD's lett, with varied success
r un'il dark. The relative position Of ou
forces was about the same as in the morn
ing. except that we had gained half
N mile more on the left.
n HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY OF TIL
i Potomac Dec. 15--I1 o'clock A M.--Cor
W siderable firing occurred yesterday lC
70 tween tho advance Of both armies.
v The rebDls showed disposition
=. move on Franklin's forces, but did no
S,nne skirmishing took plone this morr
a. ing, with considerable artillery firing
n. WAsHINGToN, Dec. IS -Wednesia
q. evening our gunboats, at Port Roya
"a q miles from fredericksburg, were fire
int, by rebel battery supposed to nun
70 Der 90 heavy guns.
"a One shot struck a coal schooner an
! killed a captain, named Simmons. Al
other struck the Carsituck, going int
,t the engine room, killing one aud woun,
20 ing three others. ~ss.a..
n. Ths firing was very rapid, and oonIil
, usd till sundown. when the battery vi
sleuced, Next morning the gunboa
n. gain opened on the battery, but receive
to no response. ..f ..F r...
3. STILL LATER.
Ig WAsnrNGroN December 1G.--Tbs 70
O. lowing is just received:
b. "FALMourH, Dec, l6-- 8:45 A. M
is raining fast. Tie river is rising rapiC
Q ly. Our troops are all on this side o Il
n river and the pontoons ara up"
id The body OF General Bayard left f
o, Washington to- lay. He WAS to have bee
married next Wednesday.
ii New YoRx. December 16.-Specia
to this morning contain nothing from Free
nd ericksburg not 10 tbs Associated Pres
he last night, The whole number kille(
wounded and missing in Franklin'S gran
division WAS 5,932.
n. Headquarters Army Of the Potomac,
in Falmouth, Va, Dec. l6-l:45 p. m.
!. During last night the army Of the P,
CO tomac svacuated their positions on II