Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1862-12-26

Towards command went into action
about three o'clock. One after the other
of its brigades were advanced to the front !;
but, like those of French and Hancock,
did not succeed in reaching the enemy's
works. The last of it, under General
Sally, was ordered to charge up the hill
with the hayonet, and moved forward in
most gallant style, but was checked, as
all the other troops had been.
Shortly after French's division had
moved to the attack, Sturgis' division of
Wilcox's corps advanced over a parallel
road on the left of onr right upon the
works and batteries covering the enemy's
right flank. 1t experienced the same
difficulties in forming, in consequence of
distractions on the ground, as French's,
but pushed forward with the utmost de-
termination, hating only at times to open
its way by musketry.
1t reached within eighty yards of the
crest of the hill it aimed to take, but hav-
ing been fearfully weakened in numbers
during its advance, had to halt. 1t held
the point gained for three hours.
Notwithstanding it was confronted by
vastly superior numbers of infantry, and
enfladed by batteries on each flank even
after its ammunition had all been spent
it did not give way, but firmly held its
ground until properly relieved shortly be-
fore sunset.
When Towards division moved to the
front, the last of the available force of
COUGHS corps, forming our extreme right,
was employed OF Wilcox's corps, Get
TVS division, which had been held in re-
serve during the day, was all that were
at command, after Sturgis had become
exhausted by the severity of its protract-
ed struggle-Burns having been sent
early in the morning to establish counec-
ton between the left and right, and not
being within ready march.
Fortunately, however, Butterfeld's
corps Of lockers grand division, which
was acting as a reserve to the right, ais
Stoncman's was to the left, came % The
rescue, when the energies Of Wileox 8
ard Copch's corps bad been nearly spent
1t had commenced moving across the riv-
or, over the upper and middle bridges,
as soon as the advance of Couch and
Wilcox's troops furnished room for it in
the lower part Of the town.
1t had all moved across between four
and five o'clock. Shortly before dark
Humphreys and Griain's divisions we're
ordered to advance to the front aud re-
lieve the troops of General Couch on the
right aud General Wilcox on the left
They reached the front and formed in
line just before sunset, and at once
charged upon the enemy's works.
Humphreys division came within a
short distance of them, and GrifIin's
reached the point held by Sturgis, which
respective positions they have since oc-
cupied.
During their advance the firing from
the Rebel artillery reached the highest
intensity Of the whole day, but ceased
shortly after nightfall.
Simultaneous with the advance of
Griffin and Humphrey, Getty's division
moved from its position up the valley of
little stream skirting the town, and adj
vanced to the base Of the hill occupied
by the Rebel batteries on the extreme
right, driving the Rebel infantry from
behind stone wall, from which they had
greatly troubled our troops during the
day.
Here it lay during the night. Sykes
division of Butterfeid's corps followed
between Griffin and Humphrey to the
front, but arrived too late for action
Thus ended the conflict between our right
and the Rebel left.
THE BATTLE ON THE LEFT.
The lines Of General franklin, as
formed for the attack, represented an OBJ
fuse angle, one line of which-General
Reynolds corps extended diagonally
from the river bank.
Smiths corps, in line parallel with
the river, formed on the right Of Wilcox's
corps. The extreme left was three miles
below Fredericksburg, and the right of
the left grand division was less than two
miles from the town. The extent of
General Frankln's line then was more
than a mile from right to left.
The position Of the different divisions
was as follows, commencing on the right:
First, Brooks division, which lay upon
the ground along the road to Fredericks-
burg, running parallel with the river.
and half way between it and the Rebel
batteries.
Howe's division next formed on the
left; on his right joined Reynolds corps,
the first division of which, General Glib
bons commanding, took position in ad-
vance beyond the road Meade's division
formed an angle with Gibbons and ex-
tended towards the river. Doubleday
was next to Meade, and rested on the
river This in general was the position
Of the left grand division when the action
commenced.
The first FIRE was made by the skirm-
ishers Of the 18th Massachusetts, in our
front. They had moved cautiously in