Newbern weekly progress., 1862-12-20
THE NEW s.

The news from Fredericksburg is
highly exciting and important. The
great battle which is probably to de-
7tcrmne the fate Of the rebellion was
opened on Saturday. The morning
was cloudy and it was not until near
noon that severe fighting commenced
At that hour an attempt was made to
carry the first range of hills on which
es.e rebel batteries were placed.
French's division, supported by Gen.
Towards division, both of Summers
corps, were assigned to this duty, The
troops advanced at run, under
heavy artillery fire. At the base Of
the ridge they were met by terrible
musketry fire from the rebels who
were sheltered behind stonewall.
The advance was here checked and fell
back to a ravine. Reinforcements
were then thrown forward and another
attempt made to take the position
The troops advanced in splendid style
. with their bayonets at a charge, but
were unable to stand the concentrated
1nrsketry and artillery fire to which
they were exposed. The centre gave
way IN disorder but afterwards rallied.
The fight was carried on spiritedly
until night but no farther attempt was
made to carry the rebel position.
On the left where Gen. Franklin's
grand division was engaged, our troops
met with better success. After hard
days fight he succeeded i'll driving the
enemy for a mile, and his troops slept
on the ground they had fought over.
The rebels advanced to the attack, but
were repulsed with terrible slaughter
,,iFIalsb HRa sSe1 ffs @ hs5Es6 5ss5f'giag Gen. A:
p. Hills division. Franklin's move
ment is directed down the river and
towards the flank Of the rebel position. A
The loss on Saturday is said to have S
been heavy on both sides, and is prob tt
ably heaviest on our side, as the rebels c
fought behind Notifications. Among L
our losses in officers are Generals Bay 6
ard and jackson killed, and Generals W
Vinton, Gibbons, kemball and Cald n
we'll, wounded. Only about forty
of our forces were engaged
IN the fight. y
It appears to be we'll ascertained =
hat the rebels have their whole army "
around fredericksburg,
hough We think the estimate given Of f,
heir numbers, two hundred thousand, n
S probably exaggerated. Longstreet f;
S on the left (our right and holding ;r
he main works. A. p Hill and Jack },
on were in front of Franklin, with 6
D. II. Hills division acting as re- a,
erve. During Saturday night pre- ~
oarations were actively made for re-
lowing the engagement. Our dead g.
yho were killed in front of the rebel ",
POSITION had to be left where they fell, :,
s the enemy opened fire on those at al
empting to remove them. The wound f.
ID were brought from the field. oc
At, daylight yesterday morning there
ras heavy artillery and infantry firing
lonsthe whole line. This lasted an Sc
our and then slackened, but up to II of
clock continued at intervals. The de
nelny, it was discovered, had been oc- si3
upied during the night in strengthen ia
1g their works, and also in bringing di
, reinforcements. dr.
The indications W. re, at half-past II sls
CLOCK yesterday morning that no de- Ii
siye battle would be fought Yesterday WI
Mess the rebels made the attack. No, by
ter despatch than this. has. been re- th
eived. A multitude of rumors pre- TIL
allied in Washington, and it was even tai
lnounced on the bulletin boards at the de
,tels that General Burnside had car
ed the front line of the rebel works, !,
ith a loss of seven thousand men,
ad SUCH an important success been ID
,h:ered We should doubtless have
card Of ii.
Though nothing later than The des-
itch; referred to above has been re-
lived direct from headquarters. We ha
arm through. reliable source, that tw'
ere was no fighting yesterday after sec
Nh. Oar !o:s in the fggt Of Satur- ella