Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-12-18
Burngide's Dispatch to Halleck,
The Retreat a Military Necessity.
FROM THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.

FROM THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
New YORK, Dec. II.
Morning papers are filed with detailed
accounts Of Saturdays fighting, of too ex-
tended nature for telegraphing. They
contain no real news, but comprise main
ly incidents relating to the affair
TIC Times gives the IonOBlng account
of the withdrawal of our troops from
Fredericksburg
The movement commenced at dark Mon
day night All the sick and wounded were
removed during the day to hospital tents
/ on this side. Burnside inspected the Pc
! sition of the troops in the afternoon, and
! general activity indicated that another
battle was imminent. Surgeons were or
dered to be in readiness to care for large
number of additional wounded. The with
| drawal of our forces was, however, deter
mined on at the council of all the Corps
Commanders during the day. The under
taking was regarded as perilOus, but if
successful would rescue the army from an
other battle, which would accomplish but
little except the destruction of valuable
lives.
The troops had received no intimation Of
retreat, and had laid down on their arms
for the night. When the order was given
to fall in, the troops supposed it was for
night assault upon the enemy's works,
and were not undeceived until they found
themselves on the pontoons crossing the
stream. The bridges were covered with
earth to deaden the sound of artillery. A
high wind and darkness prevented the reb-
els hearing or seeing the movement
Franklin's division moved as soon as it
was dark, also Summers and Hooker's
from under the very guns Of the enemy.
Many officers and soldiers expressed great
regret, saying they preferred dying in
front of the rebel batteries. Very few
wounded were left on the field.
Two brigades occupy the town as ad-
vanced pickets, and our artillery on the
higher bank will cooperate in keeping
possession Of the town.
Our heavy guns opened on the rebel
batteries Tuesday morning, eliciting little
response.
The Times correspondent thus describes
the rebel position our forces were expect
ed to storm and take:
There is bare plateau of a third Of
mile which stOrming party will have to
cross. In doing so, they will be exposed to
eAG AAN3 4AoAT VI INC 5Au4 Hou0oeCAb
posted behind a stone wall running along
the base of the ridge, a double rifle pit on
the rise of the crest. heavy batteries be-
hind strong field works that stand on top
of the hill, powerful infantry force now
lying concealed behind these; to plung-
ing fire from batteries on the lower range
of double enflading fire from cannon to
the left of them. SebastOpol wasn't half
so strong.
The Times account Of the battle shows
that Hooker's grand division was on this
side of the river until four o'clock At
four Hooker, who had not yet been across
the river, proceeded over, remarking to a
friend that he was going to put this thing
through. In half an hour prodigious vol
leys of musketry announce that Hooker
with the reserves is engaged. This last
assaulting column consisted Of the divi-
siOns of Humphrey, Monk, Howard, Getty
and Sykes. They had, however, hardly got
fairly engaged before the sun went down,
and night closed around the combatants.