The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-12-18

Detailed Narrative Of Safnrday's
Battle.

DekQItSQ xyQIJOSSCC ~ S<$s~s Wy
Battle.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 14.-Up to mid
night no intelligence ofimportance has
been received from the army. There
was occasional firing during the night
but of little consequence in resuItss'
The taking of several rebel pits yester-
DAY, eventually gave rise to the report
that the first line of entrenchments had
been taken.
| A number of the wounded arrived
tonight, and were conveyed to the
several hospitals. Another boat load
is on the way.
The New York Herald says, of SH--
urday's battle "Itraged fiecely thro'
the entire day, and even after dark.
Fighting in our immediate front, ard
right, and beyond Fredericksburg, was
carried on fiercely by Summers grand
division till o'clock. Shortly the I'd,
corps, Gen. Couch moved ont from the
upper part of the city, with strong
detachment of skirmishers. The ene--
my yielded ground gradually, though
they contested our progress with greatS
stubborness, and for some time the rat
tie of musketry was incessant. At the
same time as this movement, the bat
teries of the division stationed on the-
bluffs across the river, opened with
shell to cover our advance. The rebel
infantry having fallen back to their first
line OF entertainments and rifle pits,
their batteries opened with vigorous
and rapid fire upon our columns, which
had now come to a temporary halt.
awaiting the result of the artillery,
fighting. For some time our artillery
on the bluffs kept mp heavy fire OH.
the rebel batteries, with much success.
The batteries on Taylor Hill, nearly
opposite Falmouth, were finally ST.
fenced. During this time the rebel ass.
tillery was almost entirely devoted. to.
Smelling our advanced troops. Ham,
cocks division had the advance, sup-
ported by the other division of the.
corps, while the 9th corps, Gen. Will
cox, remained under arms in town in
readiness to advance. Soon after, the
whole corps deployed into line Of battle
and moved forward to attack and storm
the rebels right batteries, while from,
the enemy's works terrible shower off
shell, grape and shrapnel tore through.
their bleeding ranks. Notwithstanding.
ing this, they steadily pnshed on to tho
rifle pits, within short distance of the
first line of entertainments. From the
former they drove the rebels, making
prisoners of some, while the remainder
took refuge behind the earthworks.
This was accomplished after the most
heoic and long-continued efforts, under
a calling, murderous fire. ~
Unable to hold ont against the ter
rible fire they now encountered. thew
finally retired in good order, carrying
away their wounded comrades. They
fell back to their original line of pickets,
thus holding the ground they first oc-
cupied, and which they held until morn
ing, when they were relieved by Stone
mans command. Just before the ad-
vance of COUGHS corps heavy firing and
dense smoke on the left indicated that
Franklin was advancing upon, and
had already engaged the enemy's
right flank. To open communication
with him therefore, Wilcox detached
his division under Gen. Burns, and
sent it to the left by the edge of the
river, with instructions to advance un-
der cover of the river bank, until he
could place himself in close proximity
to Franklin's right.
After hard fighting COUGHS division
being unable to carry the rebel works,
the tremendous fire from their batteries
rendered it necessary for them to re-
treat, which they did, when the order
had been given for the third time. II
was now dark, and the division fell
back to its original position, after being
six hours under fire.
After severe fighting on Franklin's
left, with various success, until dark,
the relative position OF the forces il
about the same as in the morning, ex-
cept that we had gained half mile or
more on the left.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE Pc.
TOMAC, Dec. 19-11 o'clock, A. NJ
Considerable firing took place ycstcr.
day between the advance of both ar
mics. The rebels showed disposition
to move ON Franklin's forces, but did
not. There is some skirmishing this
morning, with considerable artillery
firing.