Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1862-12-19

4 y
God oh, nv God Save my child, il is
burning TO death" A shell had exploded
in the house and the building WAS in flames.
In short time Other dwellings were on
/ fire and the scene then became one no pen
can describe, no artist picture. The rapid
ity ofihe fire surpassed anything upon the
| field OF Antiriam. The gunners simply
aimed at any mansion they pleased aud then
discharge their pieces. From half-past five
until twelve there was no cessation Of more
than two or three moments duration. Al
twelve the fog lifted and a tull view Of the
city and the surrounding country was atfor-
ded. Fifteen dwelling houses were then on
| fire. The moment the boats touched the
shore q shout went up from the cannoniers
at our guns, from the soldiers drawn out in
| line-of-batile. from line and staff officers
gathered by hundreds to witnei the cross
ing, and from all spectators of whatever
rank or class, that almost drowned the roar
of artillery. Atthis moment Gen. Sumner
and his staff came riding up, and seeing
what had been accomplished, ordered a
band near him TO strike up Dixie. The
leader said he could not play Dixie, but
would give him Yankee Doodle, and the
band were placing their instruments to their
mouths, when a round shot from the enemy's
battery, which had remained silent all day,
fell plump in their milst and with it fell all
the hiave band upon their bellies, as il each
had been struck on the head with the shot.
Discovering, however, in moment that
they were not hit, they sprang to their feet,
dropped their instruments and ran.
! In the first boat that crossed the river
was little drummer boy of the 7h Michi-
gan, 10 years old, by the name of Hender-
son. who had begged to be allowed to 60
over in the first boat. lie was one of the
first to dash up the bank, and actually cap
tured rebel 1t is unnecessary to say
that this drummer boy is not of that band.
The bridge at the Lacy House having
been laid amid fhe applause Of thousands,
the SHh Pennsylvania regiment determined
not 10 be outdone by the 9TH Michigan,
| without orders, and in the face of severe
/ fire, laid The bridge near the railroad crossed
it dashed up into the city. and came around
one of the streets, and shook hands with
the Michigan boys.
AT this moment Gen. Burnside came
upon the ground, and was received with the
widest enthusiasm.
A number Of rebel dead were found in
val ious parts of the city, some exhibiting
frightful mutilations from shells, and rife
still loaded, was taken out Of the grasp Of q
hand belonging to headless trunk.
The following is a description of the ter
rble character Of the bombardment of the
doomed city of Fredericksburg:
In few moments these thirty-fve bat.
teries, forming a toal of one hundred and
seventy-nine guns, ranging from tenspoundeI
| PARROTS to four and half lch siege guns
posted along The convex side of the arc o.
the circle, formed by the bend Of the river
and land opposite Fredericksburg, opened
on the doomed city.
! The effect was, of course, terrific, and
regarded merely as phenomenon, was a.
mong the most awfnlly grand conceivable
/ Perhaps what will give you the liveliest idea
of its effect is succession. absolutely
without intermission. of the very loudesl
! thunder peals. 1t lasted thus for upward
of an hour, fifty rounds being fred from
| each gun, and | know not how many hun
/ dred tons ofiron were thrown into the town
THE BATTLE OF SATURDAY.
On Saturday, great battle was Tough
There was dense fog in the morning, bu
heavy firing commenced, tho the fog was Sc
dense that the shots did very little damage
on either side.
i Before noon the log began 10 disappear
atfording unobstructed view Of our own and
the rebel positions. 1t being evident that
the first ridge of hills in the rear of the
city, on which the enemy had their guns
posted behind their works, could not be car
ried except by charge of infantry, Gen.
Sumner assigned that duty to Gen. French's
division, which was supported by Gen
Towards. The troops advanced to their
works at ten minutes before ~, at u brisk
run, the enemy's guns opening upon them a
very rapid fire. When within musket range.
at the base of the ridge, our troops were
met by terrible fire from the rebel infant
ry, who were posted behind stone wall
and some houses on The right of the line.
This checked the advance of our men, and
they fell back to small ravine, but not
out of musket range. At this time another
body of troops moved 10 their assistance In
splendid style, Notwithstanding large gaps
were made in their ranks by the rebel ar
tillery. When our troops arrived at the
first line of rebel defences, they double
| quicked, and with fixed bayonets endeavor-
ed to dislodge the rebels from their hiding
/ places. The concentrated fire of the rebel
artillery and infantry, which our men were
forced to face, was too much for them, and
the center gave way in disorder, but AFTER
wards they were rallied and brought back
From that time the fire was spirit dly car
ried on and never ceased until after dark.
Gen. Granklin, who commanded the at
tack on the left, met with better success (;
he succeeded after days fight in driving
the rebels about mile. At one time the
rebels advanced to attack him, but were
handsomely repulSed with terrible slaush.
ter. and loss of between 400 and 500
prisoners belonging to Gen. A p. Hills
command. Gen. Franklin's movement was
directed down the river, and his troops were
encamped Saturday night not far from the
Massaponax creek. Our troops slept Sat-
urday night where they fought on Saturday,
while the dead and wounded were carried
from the fed as fast as possible. The fir