The Goodhue volunteer., 1862-12-24
Velegraphit aS(e1lva,
HEADQUARTERS, Opposite FREDERICKSBURG, !

0 CLOCK lNlS morning pOntOOn traln IN cNarge
Of the 50th New York engineers under COM
mand Of Gen Woodbury., proceeded TO the
river bank, where with infantry to support
them, an attempt was made to throw their
bridges across the river The dull haze so
ojscured the movement that for time it was
not discovered by the rvbr! pickcts. The
pontconers had succeeded in partially con
stru:ting bridge when the rebels suddenly
opened brisk and deadly fire of N mpskctry
from along the banks Of the river and win
.lows ofhouscs, compellinga cessation Of work.
Returning to the cover Of surrounding hills
;he men again formed and about clock the
attempt was renewed, but the rcLels had been
thoroughly aroused, and with rclnforcelncnts
Of sharpshooters swarinru to the opposite
banks of the river and houses. Nothing
dauntcl by the hot fire which they poured in
at the temperance Of our troops, the pom
TONERS went gal!anIy to work, but i'll vain {;
The storm Of bullets cnycloped them planks
and boards were riddcd by the cnemv's vol
,eyS. Once more they were compelled to
withdraw and fall back to the cover Of ridge
Of hills running parallel with the river. Ii
was evident the rebels were determined to use
the houses Of the city for dcfcEc:s, contrary
TO an implied agreement in the corre>p IN
'icnce which has passed by flag Of truce
Orders were given to our artillerymen to opcE
fire upon the city. Accordingly, Bcnjamn's S
Edwards, Mulhcnburg'S and other batteries
Of the 9th corps, together with the batteries
Of the corps to the right and left of the city,
commenced almost simultaneously with the
bombardmcnt.
The fo:. was so i :nsc that it was inpossi-
bic to see any distance beyond the edge ofthc
river. The houses, however, in which the
rebel sharpshooters had ensconscl themselves
were plainly visible, an to them the fire was
for a time particularly directed The effect
was their partial deno,ition In short tim.
after tie lrst fire they became untenublc by
the rebel riemen, who retrcatcd to the rear,
and took shelter behind yet unharmtd build
ingS. BY 7 o'clock the bo'nbardm. n, became
general and from that time until l O'Clock
the roar Of artillery was inces>ant
The batteries Of the 9TH rakcd the Streets
with shell, schrapntl, and grape. The fo2
still continued to Obscure in a measure tie
r suits IF these discharges
The rebels with the greatest stubbornncss
|stil kept within the city, and at times par.
tie, Of them could be seen going from one
point to another on the double quick,
The carnage cannot but be fearful among
them. 1t was somewhat singular that the
rebels did not return the fire Of our cuns.-
Up to the present lrnc they have not opened.
| About 10 o'clock the engineers formed fuI
the third attempt to construct the bridges
after the previous Intellectual attempts on the
part of the engineers to cross, party of 81
men OF the Sth Connecticut, under Cap
! 70 I-t tf,;c
deavor to tili h tie bridge, and once NOR,
the colainn with this reinforcement star.ct
under direction Of Gen. Woodbury.. The,
seized planks and carried out some dozen t.
the end Of the string Of boats, placed par
iot them, and were com: e.lc,l to retire undo,
4 very Calling fire from tie rebel Sharpshoot
,crs, WIlo were cnsconscd securely in rifle pit
Ihc!oH the raayc OF our artillery, and with,
1iittc II or twenty feet of the water edge.
The en- 5:n.eTs suffered Sc;>rc,v, aud tn
movements having been t',Hs interrupted til
whole party were ordered back to .lltiv origi
}naf position.
At ii o'clock it was discovered that one Q
the houses was on fire. Thr flames wl,ic
con;ncncel in westerly part of the cit
soon spread, and Fredericksburg, i; now or
velopcd in fire and smoke
An enti!a,ling fire has been opened upo
the rebel rifle pits up the river, AID has bee
successful SO far, in drawing the sharpshoo
erS from the vicinity Of the i pot.
The engineers are now constructing bridge
across the river. The rebels maintain the
|srounl opposite the upper bridges Cayalr
Iare now passing Summers headquarters t
route to make a charge across the river 1t OF,
of the fordS
ACortA CREEK. mi lnig, t, Dec II -Intc
hsence from the front tonight, states tlls
our forces have crossed the liver and are no'
in possession Of FrederchSb Sburr. An c,
hadinS fire from our batteries on the r-i
succeeded in drawing the rebe's from the riff
pits on the rivers edge, thereby pcru,itsin
an easy and rapid construction of the 20.
toon bridges.
PHILADELPHIA. Dec. Is.
Press special from Washinion states tha
= Banks landed at the head Of Chowan river
and formed junction with the troops a
Suffolk. 1t is supposed that he is advancin,
on Weldon. Banks assumed the chief con
mand of the troops under Generals Foster
! Peck, Auser and Emory.
!, FREDEgIcKscrEG, Dec, 13.
2 AHe AS'nfds Speciat says IT Is aScertalnet
beyond doubt that The rebe. force is nearl,
I2oo,OO
/ Jackson commands the rebels right. ex
tending from Geanis' Station to Por; Royal
5 tongstreet has the center extending from
GenniS' Station 10 Telegraph road. lie.
and Stuart are on the LETT
A Hera1d dispatch dated Headquarters
last night. says General Franklin line NOV
ed forward at sunrise with bis right resting
on the river three miles below. Skirmist-
ing commepeed on the LETT About dariish,
ior soon sIesr, rebel battery opened on OUT
lines, and the 9th New York militia wa,
Iordered 10 charge, but alrer fierce struggle
Tas compelled to return
Il The rssaaiader Of she brigade under Gen
Tyler then charged the enesnr-s guns,
when the fight became gszeral, an the ex
streme less of Gen 4. r Hills, con,mas.d--
The esnnosad;n- was terrific. though yu1
troops suffered oas little BY the eassay's n
Etillery- GraiusIas ths fight extea1r j
.around BY the sish, Cen iIoxess Esrs<.
ion went Ia, and then ssguk-s DIyisson---
Il Ab-u. II O'clock Gsa SaYlne.'s trsrsu-