Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1862-12-20
Telegraph News.
Fredericksburg Taken.

8P. M.-Tho HsyaHs special says

HEAu QUARTERS,
OPPOSITE FREDEmcKsrUKu, Dec. IL
3P. M-The HsraHs special says
Between 4 aud o'clock, this morning
the ponloon train. in charge Of the l7tl
and 80 h New York engineers, under The
command Of Gen Woodbury., proceeded to
the river bank where, supported by iufant-
/ ry, the attempt was made TO throw the
bridges across the river. The hpzo 50 OBJ
scurcd the movement that for q Time il wss
not discovered by the rebel pickets.
The p0ntOouiers had succeeded in nar.
tally constructing the bridges when the
rebels suddenly opened q brisk and deadly
ii c Of mu,ke,ry from along the banks Of
the river and windows of houses, COMPEL
ing cessation Of the work Returning to
the cover Of the urroundipg bills. the tneu
again formed, and about O'Clock the at.
tempt was renewed, but the rebels were
now tho oughIy aroused, and with "a rein.
fOrcement of sharp>hoolers, swarmed 10 the
Opposite banks aud houses. Nothing daun.
ted by The hot fle which the rebels poured
III at The temperance of orr troops, the
pontoonitrs went galully to work, bat in
vain-a storm of bullets enveluped them.
Panks aud boats were riddled by every
voley..
Once more they were compelled to with.
draw aud fall back to Cave Il dye hills,
running parallel with the river. Ii was ev.
dent the rebels determined TO use the
houses of the city for defence, contrary 10
an implied az cement in the correspondence
which recently passed by dag OF truce.
Orders were given to our nrlillerymen to
open fire upon the crty. Acrordugly Ben.
jamin'S, Ed@ard'>, .Muhenhurg's aud other
batteries Of he 9Th corps, together with
batteries of the corps to The right aud left
Of the city, commenced simultaneous
bOmbardment. Tue iog was SO dense that
1t WAS impossible to see but u short dis.
Iauce beyond the edge Of The river. Hous.
es however, sconsed hem, elves, were ulau-
ly visible, aud To them the fire was for a
time particularly directed The ,ff.ct was
their partial demolition in a short time.
After the FIRST iie they became unteu
antuble by rebel If men, who retreat ed to
the rear OF The town, vt here they took shell
ter behind as yet an unharmed building.
BY seven O'clock the BON jardment he
came general, anu from that time unul 10
O'clock the roar of artillery was iucessanl
The batteries Of the 9Th raked the streets
with shell, sharPuel aud grape, though the
log still continued to OBSCURE in meas.
urc The results OF these discharges.
The rebels with the grea est stubborn
ness still kept within the city, aud at time,
parties Of hem could be seen going from
one post to another on the double quick.
'Httt, t.t.yt,ntrg I, e..
Ihcm.
1t was somewhat singular the rebel bat.
teres did not return the fe of our guns.
Up to the present time they have not
opened
About ten o'clock the engineers formed
for the third attempt 10 construct the
bridges. After previous Intellectual at
lemp's on the part Of the engineers to
cross, party of eighty men Of The L ghrh
Connecticut under Captain Marsh, volun
tecrcd 10 assist in this new eudeayor to fin
sh the bridge, and once more the column
with this reinforcement started.
Under direction Of Gen Woodbury. they
seized plankS and carried out some dozen
to The end of Ehe string of boats placed
part Of them, and were thea compelled TO
fttlre under very gazing lire from the !
rebel sharp>hooters, who were euscouced
securely in raa pits below the range Of our
artillery, aud wuhin fifteen or tweuty feet
Of the river edge
The engineers suff red severely. The
movement having been thus interrupted the
whole party were ordered back TO their
original positions
At ii o'clock it was discovered that one
Of the houses was on fire. The flames OF
which commenced IN II westerly part Of the |
city, soon sp.ead and Fredericksburg is
now enveloped in fire aud smoke.
An eufludmg fire has been opened upon |
the rebel ile pit, fom up the river. 1t |
has been successful so far in driving the |
from the vicinity Of the rail
road depot. The engineers are now con.
5trucIing bridges across the river. The
rebels still maintain their ground opposite
the upper bridges.
The cavalry are now passing Summers |
headquarters Ell route to make a charge |
across The river at one of the fords