Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-12-25

OFFICIAL REPORT.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY NoRTHERS VIRGINIA,
December l4th, 1862

HEADQUARTERS ARMY NoRTHERS VIRGINIA,
December l4th, 1862. )
The Honorable Secretary of War, Richmond, Va.
SIR On the night Of the l0h instant the enemy com
menced TO throw three bridges the PotOmac-two
at fredericksburg, and the third about mile and a
quarter below near the mouth Of Deep RI q.
The plain on which FrederickSburg stands Is
petey commanded by the bills OF Stafford, IN posses
sion OF the enemy, that eectusl opposition could be
offered TO the construction OF the bridges the passage
Of the river without exposing troops the desruc
tive fire Of bis numerous batteries. Positions were,
therefore selected oppose his advance after crossing
The nauowness of the Rsppahannock its winding
and deep bed, afforded opportunity for the
srucon Of bridges at points beyond the reach Of our
artillery, and he banks had be watched by skirmish
The latter shelerng themselves behind the houses
drove bSck the working parties of the enemy at the
bridges opposite the city but at the lowest point Of
crossing where shelter could be had sharpshOot
themselves driven Of, and the completion of
the bridge was effected about noon on the llth
ln The afternoon of that day the enemy's batteries
opened pom the city, and b dark had SO demolished
tie houses the river bank deprive our skrmish-
Of sheer-ane under of his guns, be effected
q l0d gmfnt in the town
The trOops wbicA had SO Rsllanty held their position
10 the city under pc severe cannonsde during the day,
resisting the advance Of the enemy at every step were
withdraw durDg the night also those who,
With eQual ienaeity, had maintained their post at the
lowest bridge Under Of darkness and OF dense
fog the 32h large force passed the river and took
position On TIE right bank, protected by their heavy
EunE the ieR
The morning Of the 18Th his arrangements for attack
beng cotlIlfttd a0 ciOck-tle Veiied
BY foghe advanced beldy in large force against
right wing Cen Jacksons corps occupied tie right of
line, which rested on the railroad; Gen. Long
streets the let extending along the nights to the Rap
pahaunoek above Fredericksburg Gen Stuart with
brigades OF cavalry, posted IN the extensive
plain on oar extreme right.
Az soon the advance Of Che enemy was discovered
through the log, Gen. Stuart, with his accustomed
prOmpfnea moved up section of his horse artillery
whicA opened with effect upon his flank and drew upon
the gallant Pelham heavy hre which he sustained uR
dnchingy for about two hours. In the meantime the
enemy heTeey encountered by Gen. A. p Hills
dvirion forming Gen Jaeks0ns right and after an oh
sfinsts combat rppulsed During ths stt,cr ,,rbic,
was protfacted and hOtly contested two of Gen. Hill
bFgades were driven back upon oar second line.
General Esry with part OF his division being ordered
his support drove the enemy back from the point of
woods be had seized, aud pursued him into the plain
until arrested by his artillery. The right Of the enemy
column extel ding beyond Hills front announced the
Eigt Of Gen. Hood, Of Iongsreet's eOrpe. The enemy
took possession Of small corpse in front Of Hood but
were quickly dispossessed and repRlssd with loss.
During the attack right The enemy was cross
ing troops over bis bridges At EIetercksburg and
ing them IN front of LoEgshecs line. Soon after his
on our let with avew of obtaining possession Of the
nights Immediately overlooking the town. These re-
peated attacks repulsed gallant style by the
Washington artillery under Col Walton, and portion
Of BcLav, 8 division which occupied these bigllts
The last assault was made after dark when Col A ex-
snders battalion had relieved the Washington artillery
Whose ammunition had been exhausts) and ended The
eontes. for She day The enemy was supported in his
attack by the fire OF strong batteries of artillery the
right bank Of the river as well as by hs numerous
heayy batteries on the Stafford hights
Our loss during the operations, since the movements
of the enemy began amounts to about eighteen hundred
killed and wounded. Among the former regret to
port th death Of The patriotic soldier sad statesman,
Brgader-General Thomas r. R. Cobb, who fell upon
left and among the latter that brave soldier and
accomplished gentleman, Brigader- Cen Maxey Gregg,
who was very seriously and, it is feared, morally
Wounded daring he attack oui right.
The enemy to-day has been apparently engaged in
caring for his wounded and buryng h. dead His troops
visible in their FIRST position "a tine Of battle but
with the exception Of desultOry eGnnonadng and
firing between sknshers he las not attempted to
the attack About five hundred and fifty prisoners were
taken during the engagement but The full extent Of his
| loss is unknown
have the honor to be, very respectfully your obodl
ent servant, lOfieiaL E. LEE General
CHARLES MARSHALL Major and A. D. c.
Graphic Description of Saturdays Fight.
Special Correspondence of the Richmond EnquirerI
| BATTLE FIELD, Saturday, December Is. ls62.-This
morning the sun struggled up through the obscuring
miss which Overhung the andeape but his ravs were
for an hour two intercepted by some asien cloud
slowly drifting overhead. Everything was still al
i on any mil4f December moGing. Scarcely a breatl
Of sr waited the falling leavF stirred the fringes
/ the pine. The fog aud smoke. thoroughly mingled
through ths night and shrOpded hill and plain grey
As shs began rise, ab yut eight o'clock, the oar
the enemy artillery woke he stiffness Of the scene
and signaled the coming seat battle fastening II.
front obtained a view Of the enemy W
Birds-eye Rie,o Of The Bassle Field.
The observer who stands on Che nights that rise ab
ruptly from the suburb. the western side Of Fred
ericksburg, and casts bis eye to the southwest. see
stretching before him level pRln TO where the Kappa
hammock making Cad curve, with the rising hills OF
/ the northern bank ferns the horizon This plain
about six miles long with breadth of two and
half miles On the right the plain is scoOped by spur
Of bills gradually slipping down into the bottom land
intervals of ebou. mile, cotted with dark pines
eafless oaks. On tae left, where the Rsppahannocl
sweeps along hid by It's high banks succession Of hill
rise much more sg upty than the right, the face
this hills bare eotted with struggling pines and tn
SUBMITS crowned with dense timber. These hillside
are white with ths enemys tents and trains and from
the crests his batteries brste in countless prOfuson
far a. thseye caa reach.
Now, lei cat eye again down this broad el
Of bottom land ind note whst birds eye view affords
First Is Tie tow Of Fredericksburg Of the ruin
II II sending up wreaths Of pale blue smoke but th
town not so much demolished some excited magin
sls MY haze supposed and hardly enough to attrac
the attention Of the casual observer. Then the plain
seen mngy lowest in the middle but actually near
1 81 level few long groves of leahess oak
breaks the monOtOny, and here and there some cump
\ q. eedaHs are seen The fields containing on ar
averages Kindred acres separated by fences
and dtches the latter indicated by lines Of low hedge
The eneys lne occupies the left Of this plain and il
some pacei thsr columns, which the casual OBJ erver
from This point would take to be dark eumps Of cedar
spot far into the fields In the center Of their line
near the river, rising ground, Is posted battery
tvgenty-ont heavy guns-thers may be more-but thes
| only are d hinguishabe by the eye.
Just in the Of these so far is able Judge
by ths Ion line OF smbulances which disappear tn
opposite hank Of the river and emerge by, pom
toou bridge spans the rivera single bridge, told
This battiry forms a prominent p TT Of the picture
especially when fires regularly by section sendng it
shells ac oss the plains ami into the rising hills tn
right short distance above this battery, that is,
TO The oserver q narrow grove Of oaks extend Oisgo
uav intc the plain, half mile, perhaps, terminating
low rnarsly ground. deep gully extends the lengt
of this gro e. and Is spanned IN the middle by raroa
bridge tile line of the railroad indicated here and ther
by patchss red earth which marks its length dow
the left SIDE OF the valley. n ms grove me eheln