The Portland daily press., 1862-12-31
From the 18th Maine Regiment.
CAMP PITCHER, Va

CAMP PITCHER, Va,
Dec. 10, 1862.
EDITORS PREss:-We have at last seen a
battle, or at least portion of one-quite
enough, however TO satisfy our curiosity. The
"big daiies" and the telegraph have informed
you and your readers in relation TO general
features of the combat but they have not
given the details of tie part taken by Maine
troops,-detais which must be interesting to
the friends OF those troops at home. My OBJ
servaton was of course limited to the troops
IN our own division and those engaged in our
immediate vicinity, comprising the 3D., 4th,
10th and 18th Maine Regiments, and the I'd
and 5th Maine Batteries
We broke camp on the morning of Thurs
day the llth at sunrise and marched about
mile toward the front, where we halted in
field and remained until sunset. All day our
batteries stationed upon the northern bank of
the river kept up a rapid and continuous fire,
which was not replied to by the rebels. At
about sunset the firing ceased, and we were
ordered into the woods near us where we en-
canped for the night, or whole division. Bir-
ney's, being encamped near us. We remained
here, until near sunset of Friday, and then
marched down the river two or three miles
and bivouacked in the woods a mile and a
half from the shore. On Saturday morning at
half past four We broke-camp again and march
ed towards the river stopping two or three
llults on tic way. Al ABOUT Ien O'CLOCK we
were ordered forward, in an hour or more we
crossed the pontoon bridge; about two and
half miles below Fredericksburg. From the
bridge we moved at double quick to the left,
obliquing toward the front in order TO support
, portion of Franklin's Division, which was
giving way. We came on the field at double
quick time under a tremendous fire of shell
from rebel battery, posted in the edge of
the woods on a hill in front of us. Our posi-
in al
al deep bitches, and extending from the road
behind us, to the foot of the hill on the top of
which the rebel lines were formed. The dis
tance from the road to the rebel lines could
not have been more than half mile Our
batteries were posted, two or three of them at
least on knoll, or ridge about half way from
the road to the rebel intrenchments. OF what
occurred outside our own regiment for the
first hour | know but very little as | was too
much engaged in watching the company and
attending to the execution of the orders of my
superior officers, to watch other regiments.
Our first line of battle was formed parallel
with the road, and about fifty yards in front of
it. As soon the line was formed the men
were ordered TO lie down. In a few minutes
We, were ordered back ard lay down be-
hind an embankment on the rear side of the
road, in the edge of a cornfeld. While lying
here, the shells flew thick aad fast about us,
bursting in the air over our heads, and scat
tering pieces about US, striking the bank and
bespattering us with mud, but hurting no one.
1t was quite enough, however to try the
strongest nerves. For myself, l have never
heard any thing in the way Of noise, half as
dsagreeable as the bowling and screeching of
those Rebel missiles. We lay behind this en-
baDkment, only short time, perhaps twenty
minutes and were then ordered forward again.
We marched back 10 our first position, dress
ed" our line and lay'down again.
Soon the order came. Attention, 18th
Maine" and we were up again. This time we
marched by the right flank to position on
the right of our first one and were considera-
bly, in advance of it, In this place we lay
down again, somewhat sheltered by the ridge
upon which the batteries were posted. Here
L think the first loss on our part occurred. A
shell exploded in Company II, wounding four
men. For some reason the Ambulance CORPS"
who were seen carrying off wounded men
from some of the regiments on the same field,
did not come near us, and our wounded, thro'
the whole fight, when unable to walk, were
carried off in blankets. Here the Pennsylva-
MIA Reserves passed in disorder through our
lines, many of them wounded in the head,
arms, DC, but able to walk Off supported by
their comrades. We were ordered, after lying
here for about half an hour, to march by the
left flank in double-quick time, and again lay
down for few minutes in front of one OF the
bitches ntersecting the field We were or
dered from this place to advance to repel an at
tack of the enemy upon one of our batteries.
This last position was nearly half way from
the road to the rebel lines, and within rifle
range of portion Of them. The 37th New
York, Col. Haman's "Irish Rifles" upon our