Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-12-19


The only damage done by the rebel shells
thrown into the city was to add so much to
it's destruction.
twenty-five Of our men were killed last
night in the streets while driving the rebels
+ out.
Nearly every house in the city has been
damaged more or less by the firing of the
past few days.
i Several splendid residences have been com.
pletely riddled, as also have all the churches.
HEADQUARTERS AMY OF THE PoroMAc,l
| .t... .t. In the Field, Dec. 13tl,-11 o'clock.
The battle long anticipated is now pro.
crossing. l.... a. I'd
Reynolds corps, on the left advanced and
engaged the enemy's infantry at 9.15. Sew.
ell minutes afterwards the rebels opened a
heavy fire Of tillery. a 5
The fog began to disappear early in the
a. NJ, afforfling nm unobstructcd view Of our
own and the rebels positions; it being
evident that the first ridge Of hills in the
rear Of the city, on which the enemy had his
guns posted behind, and works which could
not be carried except by charge Of infant
ry. -s .s g.. #.a E9 g.. af
General Sumner assigned that duty to
Gen, French's Division, which was support
ed by General Towards. The troops adj
vanced to their work at ten minutes before
IL, at brisk run; the enemy's guns open
ing upon them very rapid fire, when within
musket range.
At the base Of the ridge our troops were
met by a terrible fire FROM the rebel infantry
which were posted behind a stone wall, and
some houses on the right Of the linc This
checked the advance of our men, and they
fell back to a small ravinc, but not out Of
muskct range.
Al this time another body Of men came
to their assistance in splendid style, notwth-
standing large gaps were made in their ranks
by the rebel artillery. When our troops ar
rived at the first line of the rebel defences,
they double-quickcd, and with fixed bayo.
nets, endeavored to disodgc the rebels from
their hiding place. The concentrated fire of
the rebel artillery and infantry which our
men was forced to face, was too much for
them; and the centre gave way in disorder
but afterwards they were rallied. and fought
back. From that time the fire was spiritedIy
carried on, and never closed until after dark
Genera! Franklin, who commanded the at
tack on the left, met with better successes
He succeeded after hard days fight, in dri.
wing the rebels about one mile At one time
the rebels advanced to attack him. but were
handsomely repulsed with terrible slaughter.
and loss of between 400 and 900 prisoners,
belonging to Cen A. p. Hill.
| Gen. Franklin'S movement ives directed
down the river, and his troops are encamprd
tonight not far from the Massasot Creek
Our troops sleep tonight where they fought
to-day.
The firing Of musketry ceased about six
o'clock this evening, but the rebels continu
ed throwing shell into the city until eight
o'clock
The position Of the rebels was as follows
Gen. Longstrcet was on the left and holding
the main works.
Gen. A. p. Hill and Stonewall jackson
were in front of Gen. Franklin. with Jack
sons right resting on the Rappahannock, and
Hills forces acting rs reserve.
Gen. Burnside will review the battle ground
at daylight.
The troops are in good spirits and not in
the least disheartened.
WASHINGTON, Dec. IA.
Up to midnight no intelligence Of lmpor
lance had been received from the armv
Occasional firing was heard during the
night, but of little consequence is the results
The taking of several pits yesterday, evil
IDENTIFY gave rise to the report that the irs
line of entertainments had been taken
The Herald says of Saturday s battle:
1t ragged fcrccly through the entire day
and evening. After dark the fighting on oul
front and right, and beyond fredericksburg,
was carried on by Summers grand division
Shortly after nine o'clock the second corps
Gen Couch. moved out in front of the uppe,
part Of the city. with strong detachment o
skrmishers. The enemy yielded gradually
though they contested our progress with
great stubbornnesS, and for some time the
rattle Of musketry was incesSant. At thu
sa,ne time this movement commenced thc
batteries Of the division, stationed on the
bluffs across tho river, opened with shell tt
cover our advance. The rebel infantry hav
ing fallen back to their first line Of entrcnch
ments and rife pits, their batteries opened
!. with vigorous and rapid fire upon our col
umns, which had now come to temporar,
halt, awaiting the result Of the artillery fight
ing For some time our artillery on tho
bluffs kept up a heavy fire on the rebel bat
teries with much better success. The bat
teries on Taylor's Hill, nearly opposite Fal
, moth. were finally silenced. During thi.
, time the rebel artillery was almost devoted
, to Smelling our advanced troops. Hancock
, division had the advance, supported by tn,
other division or corps, while the 9th corps
. Gen. Wilcox, remained under arms in towr
in readiness to advance. Soon after tn,
whole corps deployed into line of battle. ano
, moved forward to attack and storm the reb
D els right batteries. while from the enemy
works terrible shower of shell, crap,
and sharpnell tore through their blcedin,
ranks, Notwithstanding which they steadil,
' pushed on to the rife pits within short dis
lance Of the first line OF entertainments. from
8 which they drove the rebels, making prison
, ers of some, while tho remainder took refdg
behind the earthworks This was accom-
pshed after most heroic and long continued
t efforts, under a CALLING and murderous fire
Unable to hold out against the terrible fir
4 they now encountered, they finally retired i,
!, good order, carrying their wounded comrades
S They fell back to their line of pckets thu
t holding the ground which they first occupied
e and which they held until morning, wine,
they we're relieved by Stoneman's corps
just before the advance of COUGHS corps
J. heavy firing and dense smoke on the lef
!. indicated that Franklin was advancing upol
and had already engaged the ememy's RICH
flank To open communication with him
: therefore, Wilcox, detached his division TN