New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-12-15
The Fir,' Day Of the Fight-Lia, of Rat
tcrics Engaged
From Our Special Correspondent
OS rus BArTLK-PfELD. II p m. /
OrPOsrK FHEpEHlCKsrrli. Dec II, lt5


The first day Of tie srea; Gylft is over, end we
occnpy Fredericksburg with portion Of cur iorcea
having succeeded. after au all days struggle IN
throwing across ponioon bridges and driving the
Rebel infantry IRON the town. Tomorrow Will see
10 Gc.cest and gandesi battle Of the war, uness all
signs fail, what has been accomplished to-day bong
a mere Introduction TO The work 10 come.
Virginia is PAVING most dearly ior her adhesion
10 Rebellion, and must include among her losses aud
isfonunes tho destruction Of one Of her most con-
siderable cities; destruction too eiectual Tor r gen
Grafton by the feobe energies Of the ctzene Of t1is
latitude The State can return, benefited If Slavery
Je abolished; the town, fear, viii wait, unless,
indeed, Il becomes Yankeeized' Tor many a long
year before il will become what it wa.
when Tie two ,igral guns were fred At y thi-
morning. and Z" the ball opened," the enemy had IN
opportunity to save their town if they chose, but
they lid not acoep,ii.
firing from the windows Of houses and behind
fences, thoy drew upon themselves all the wretchec-
rcss consequent upon ~ destruction OF their once
beautiful city, and lost oil claim for compassion or
regret. The fact Of their disPuiug tho passage Of
he river 20 ohNnately, conyioces me mat t"eif o.
ieet WA the delay OF our troops unii Their icrc-e
conld 10 concentrated for successful resistagco No
other cause it seems to mo- could have been sum
Client 10 induce even uadien TO consent ID lh- de-
siruciion Of n town.
ds.olsted dwellings, are destruction. Ia dhort tame
alter ,hs fuuk OF the signal guns, ~ peccs were
directei on lie town, and sho and shell Were c!Dhh.
np into the homes, or bursting over me hrals %,
frightened Rebel Eharpslootets. hl'h o'1@i!i'N
tafuornry luiiI or even entire ceff4tlon Irf I'll f
l.e trs immense fusillado was J, pt up on tbs 10 s.
oD'( a, rl. and uudcr such circumstance lho rs''
cam r-aoilv De- imrnuod. Scarcely house es'".
without ,erious damagei a Few were se' On NJ p.
tho explosion Of shela, and at one time 'ouh al
Eve Ramos burning in Gaereut parts OF .Ao c',y'
Until the two Ionto0n bHdgoa, moro inly &c,
scrib.d Iy another correspondent, were comr.eied
and ready fog the passage Of our troops tle mn S
~, our rart was I'LL done ny artillery, excepting
.ome irregular and occasional compliments poidD) TIE
I .lornsl.0tefs on either eide across tue riNeI.
/ 9ive below the names OF Tho bliieriea engaged
,odv for tie Government, merely stating ilat there
wes - fge reserve force rcaoy 10 lake thcir
are il the light whenever II should become no'eS-
sary. a., to,,.-
id, of a bend ia tho rivcr aud is command Tor q
long distance from the right baak, winch o'o onsNy
,i,cs into quite Formidable bills. Oplorite The ry =
broad nearly level plateau. The village oil fA-
mouth Is u low iying p!ace some iil.e dis,hhoe pa
nile, Vcrlalsl, above the larger town re ni'1
lhiOht and here as at every OTHER point ioI ais
lance Of some two aud half 10 thIee mllea olI
ours were NJ uled and dld execution. ,...,
At our extreme right above Falmouth, and httle
lin is rear, ~ ~ Bsnjamns Battery L, "a I. D Ar
lillory, 20.pound Parrot gunsi tlen ehme Ds.leIy
H.. u Naw-York, Capt. jacob ROener, ani ,hen
Battery A, lst New York, Capt Petit. ihese AL
occupied an elevated position, commanding TIE Town
and The country for q distance around IT,
On the plateau, Of which ! have spoA9,n, before
Iond Which extends opposite tho city, nom Faimou',
lto the Acquia Creek Railroad, were the "a fennsyi
vonia Independent Artillery Capt. George W Dareil
le-pound PARROTS; Battery A, 4th New YORK
Cant. smith; Battery l, 1t United States, i4oHt
IKi'by; battery B IT. Rhode Island, Capt. j; q
IIazzard; egit l2pound guns, rsualy cIlle
Nsnoleo1s, Battery O., lat Rhode Island
e. d. Owens, Sioeh guns. f. 4th U. s., Lieut.
niekinsoni q, 9Th u. s., Lieut.. Thomas, Nagoeo
onos; ID. 5th G. g.. late Griin's batteiy,l Lieut.
lIlalletl; NJ, ID NewYork, Capt. Liylngsloa. fioL
the railroad and extending abont mile south, ".i
battery ID, ist New York, CaPt Knrsroeoi y, ..
Rhode Island, Capt. Watormani X, 4th |. g., Lieu
) soeley; A. 4lh N. y, @O-pound Parrot, Capt. Haas
Isl Connecticut Artillery, seven heavy siege gun
. .iL.sui.s s5-scaGa sss.l', gGI Esp's' A't' ~