The New York herald., 1862-12-23
The Great Battle OF Freaericksburc

atefcstIhs reaullS matter:
The Great Battle OF F'redericksburc.
From the Richmond Dispatch, Dec 1877
fhe Date o saturday, taking into consideration the
number OF engaged the quantity OF artillery and
other engines of war employed, the valor of the
skill OF the generals was probably the creat
est battle fought this II was fought by
nearly two hundred thousand several hundred
pieces OF artillery II was contested for ten hours II
resuked in complete victory the Confederate
No say compete, because, sh nigh the enemys force
was not annhilated-kilied, captured dspersed-,hc
failure VS. eairSly owing the nborhood Of
their stronghcds 10 which they tied when they found
themselves unable to face any longer the
aed Had the battle been fought twenty miles this se
N the Rappahannock there would have such
rout IS the world ds not witness in the forty years
that elapsed between the battle OF Waterloo and h fist
sae OF Nanas as AS was u has proved 20 the Yam
KEGS that pcriorty of numbers preparation
avail them IN p chsd battle with the forces Of the
fcderaoya truth 50 patent ana often exemplrd that
believe they are the ony people on earth who venture
80 deny it.
OR loss has been heavy, but bears 10 comparison
whatever 10 that Of the enemy W hare reyrt about
sees9g.fgs hurded ktitd, scouaded and missing, while,
according 70 the report o. those best skilled 10
mtkng estim tes Of this description. ,heir los
docs not certainly aii short Of ten Thousand aud
All PROBABILITY greatly exceeds 1t. Tbs VIII not
be regarded as at all improbable when
s'erarioa he relative position o. the opposing armies
The Confcderates were on the heights, which rendered
them less accessible TO cam n. The Yankees the
how grounds sub eced TO mrrdeyoas fire Of artillery
and 'nusketry AZ they advan ed. Every shot told
those WHO witnessed that the slaughter awi
eey anything yet witnessed in the war. General
Lon succeeded in getting possession long tone
~all the Fredericksburg and in ,.acng
whsi ivisl b hind it. The Yankees, with bold
than they usually exhibit On such occasons al
ter I'D let possession Of it. They were repused with
unpara e"d 81 Fighter in every attempt, and AT last breke
Ici Ia cpliusIon.
Jhe Yankees, presume, win for the arrival Of
sse cor before they try their luck again. What may
be tn streng Of this body we have deter.
mining bet we eei convinced that sufficiently
great 10 after the result and that after its arr.y
another attack sh, be hazirded, the end will be- the
sams The general hope here is that the trial will be
made SO confident are al in the valor of army
shS oonsninmae skill o. its great leader. i
ne$doabted whether General Lee permitted the enemy
20 come over, whether he could have prevented
mad he tried II seems 70 US that he had every
reason 10 wish them 10 He had selected
his neid Of battle, aud had thoroughly studied Ma
pjeon had done the field OF Auserlit2 when fe back
thry miles To draw his enemy TO it, and Wellington
u said io have done at " aterloo He had full
Of confidence in themselves and him The Disparity q
force as not scgret as TO render victory all impr
oe when the composition Of the two armies and the ami
mating spirit OF each taken into consider alton IF
they aeIe determined to pass he could rdy have pro
vented them since they had possession " the heights
the stafford sioe and had them with inDunora
BILE batteries. WHAT may have been his motives II i'm
ssole for us, Of course TO say but understand
OF his officers very high in rank expressed himself
strong terms anxious above all things for them
aud try their fortunes the very ground which
the the ire Of the battle several weeks ago.
This " the tenth pitched battle in which General loo
has commanded, within than six months and in all
sf them he has been victorious No otner cam ign ex-
cert that M Italy in 1886. and tht OF France in 1914
presents such result Our paop,. are checred , ,he
reflection that their armies commanded by two gene
rats who have rival in the Of wnr-Iee on the
Rappahannock, and Johnston in the Southwest. They
superior To the Yankee generals in every quality
that constitutes the military chief the soldiers they
ead are 70 the thieves and cuhroas that Lincoln has
sent 10 subjugate them.
correspondence of the Richmond Exsminerl
HanILroSs CROSSING, Dec. Il, 1852
OF the battle Of yesterday you have from other
learned the main resuttffe driving in of the enemys
light batteries and the repulse of his infantry. will
supply such particulars as under my observation.
BIT before doing 80 must endeavor give you an idea
Of he positions occupied BY the hostile forces a. the
Beginning Of the action.
from Fredericksburg the Rappahannock flows nearly
east The valley az the river. living mostly
south side s mile In width near the town. and widening
railroad the valley Is three miles From Hami
CONS crossing 30 fredericksburg the railroad the old
Richmond stage road, both running parallel With tn
river, skirt this valley South Of the railroad beginning
near the town and running 10 point At HaInilton's
crossing and also parallel with the river Of
on On is sr,e. northern aes eo5ssr sy pine tsicle.s
above cppssitc and for . mile below emo town Jack
cons corps restod Longsfreets right, ami EXTENDED
Aii, crossing the railroad at hamltons crosang, ana
stretching into the valley towards tue rer our front
corpe posted in the skrs Of the fores, along
tne line OF raroad the seven batteries IL Col Lindsey
Walkers regiment and Stuarte horse artillery berg alta
ticred In the valley, between the rarosd PaInkons
crossing and the river The enemys forces occupied the
valley north Of the railroad Srom Fredsrckscurg 70
within ha mile OF our extreme right Hiz light bat
tories were posted over the southern extremity Of
valley, at from quarter Of mile TO mile from the
railroad. while the hills on the northern banks OF the
river from Falmouth to Ftzhughs farm, I've miles b..
Bow Fredericksburg, were studded Intervals of half
mile with his batteries q heavy guns.
The oFin had prevailed the night before ths, tie
enemy 10 attack our lines yesterday morning bu,
when the day broke without the sound o gun being
heard Ia front began be thought that no had defer
red his advance until this morning.
The clear, but dim fsg shrcuded the valley
limiting the vision 20 a short half. mile The enemy was
supposed TO be within q mile vi the railroad Haa
ihons crossing but there were no indications ot bis
presence.
Al half past eight AN Gen Lee attended by bis stan
rode slowly along the front a. sne from
nA hrI aA H. 81. ~ IN.
crossing aud halt mile 10 the of batteries on tho
extreme right AZ nine O'Clock column Of troops
which proved ~ be tweuS division, General Tariv
commanding, advanced up the valley from III. di.
secton oi Port Royal, and denled into the
woods 20 the left of Hamtons crossing The men wcro
marching ~ very lesurelypse with careless, swing
Ing gait hut there was that Ia the quiet dignity their
semcsnor WHICH n ,aa TIA, each though unaunies was
and DEATH scarcely bad the rear Of this division dissp.
pcaed y the woods, wsen directly Their the
tilery oi the Old Stonewau brigadewoodis Bravions
and three other batter es-opencds brisk fire on the ere
mys batteries north Of the rsi road Al this time owing
proved tba, they we're yisg cos the ses,h ssrr
u the river The cannonsdng became general along
ihe front Of both armies In ten minutes from The time
u firing their frsi gun the Dsnviic battery Car,asn
Woods had loot nftesn killed and woundsd nun
Der Of horses, and bad two guns Disabled
The enemy battery eight tGadred ya,ds distant had
The exact range from tue Grs dre In the beginning ~
ne acton tae oss o. tne nsnef os'rie, q rsaterscs
precision, their shells bursting n front directly asove
he opposing batteries Ia ths course OF sour the
impossible for observer 70 distinguish what o. srtcar
sateryot ihs eneRy engaging the attention n any
tven battery o. oars and rfct scarcely battery
hat DAD been unmaskcd 90 either side but exposed
os direct and enhadMg Ore The roar az cannon along
line o. sir miles was Tremendous. The resonant
~th the savage music or shells and seid shot The
Shhe smoke wreaks of exploding shells we're every.
~hcre vsOs among the trees OF the forest which hid
sGr forces N the valley and away bevond tho river in
bsTofd. mes ~ atnhuanrer could he e.en -otng ~
nc souBeed 81 buth afmes. ~. there was nothnt RI
which n s,dgs 'bs The advantage rested with eIaee
fds.
Atnoon the fog lad cleared away but Thea ,a~ = !
sck haze Vi The atmosphere About lll< time tte a.o
nys inspy moved forward from the river tovaYds our