Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1862-12-23
The Battle at Fredericksburg.

The victory won by our gallant ar
my at Fredericksburg, on Saturday,
the 18th inst, was more decided and.
brilliant than.tile first accounts repre-
sented. 1t was known then that the
enemy had been repulsed with great
loss greater than they had IN
ficted upon ils--but it was not then
known that they had been crippled to-
such degree as to be unable to renew
the engagement. Gen. Lee supposed
the engagement would be renewed the
next day, and was prepared to give the
enemy as hospitable welcome as he
had done the day before. 1t is shown
by the despatch of Gen. Burnside that
he intended to renew the struggle on
Sunday morning, but for some good
reason the battle was not renewed, and,
instead of fighting, his army was coun-
termarched, and recrossed to the North
side of the Rappahannock ON Monday
night. At 4 O'clock on Sunday morn
ing Gen. Burnside sent the following
telegram to PRESIDENT Lincoln
HEApoEs Aa,My OF THE PoToMAo, |
/ 4. NJ, 14th Dec. (
To the Psgsal.nt Of the United States
have Just retained from the field
Our troops are all over the river, and
hold the Ridge ont side of the town, and
three miles below We hope to carry
the Crest to day. Our loss is heavy
say five thousand.
(Signed) A. E. BURNSIDE,
Maj. Genl Com'dg.
This despatch is brief, but it serves tc
reveal more than Burnside intended
1t shows that all of his troops were OF
the southern side of the river, and not &
part only as had been supposed, and il
shows, also, that, at 4 o'clock on Sunday
morning, he intended to renew the fight
for he expresses to Lincoln his hope Of
carrying the Crest to-day Sunday
The "Crest" to which he alluded is still
standing, but the crest of Burnside has
fallen, and he is now in a fair way to
follow all OF lis predecessors who at.
tempted to reach Richmond--Scott,
Mcdowell, Mcclellan, and Pope
Jordan IS 2 hard road to travel"
1t is very evident that Burnside was
prevented from renewing the fight. by
the fact that rs army had been so bad
ly whipped and demoralized that the
officers and men would not agree to 90
into battle again at that place. ssThe
burnt child breads the fire." They
were taught the day before the efficacy
of the fire OF Southern troops, and were
not willing to take another lesson in the
same branch OF knowledge. Our loss
will not exceed in killed and wounded.
1900, or 1900, whilst the loss of the
enemy is supposed to be between twelve
and eighteen thousand. Their loss is
supposed to be eight times as great as
ours.
A correspondent of the New York
Herald, speaking of the casualties among
the Yankee officers, says:
ssGen. Bayard was killed in the bat
tie, and his body sent to Washington
BE was to have been married on the
Wednesday following. Brigadier Gen
eral Conrad F. Jackson, of Pennsylva
MIA, was also killed. Among the wound
ed Generals are Vinton, Kendall, Cald-
well, Gibbon, and Meagher, the latter
reported severely. Lieutenant Colonel
Dickinson YVES killed."
1t seems that Burnside took good care
of No. 1 OH the day of battle. He was
at the Phillips House about mile and
half from the river on the Northerni
side, beholding the death struggle ofhis
troops by means of large spy glass-I
IT, --:-I-~l>.S.,,. - i - I