The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1862-12-23

hftt NNNA fitAN - t'tN tN'fNA "'f'tto' W. W
the extreme right, driving the rebel
infantry from behind stone wall
from which they had greatly troubled
our troops during the day. Here il
lay during the night Sykes division
Of BatterGeld's corps followed between
Griffin and Humphrey to the front,
bot arrived too late for action Thus
ended the conflict between our right
and tie rebel left.
on THELEFT.
The extreme left Of Gen Franklin's
division extended three miles below
Fredericksburg, and his right was .
miles below the town. his line being
mile long. The first fire was made by
the skirmi.hers Of the 18th Massachus-
etts 10 our front. They had moved eau.
tiously in advance of our lines for
half mile, when discovering the en-
emy's pickets they fred upon them
Cannonading soon commenced in earn
est. The hazy atmosphere Of the
early part Of the day having cleared
away so as 10 give TO each of the con-
tending parties a view Of the position
taken by the other, Halls battery,
the I'd Maine, discovered battery Of
the enemy in close proximity and
opened rapid and VIGOROUS fire up
on il. In few moments the artillery
fire extended along the entire line
The 2d u. S. artillery, Captain Ran
1m Coopcr's battery Of Pennsylvania
reserves, and others, made and re-
ceiyed severe attack. Tie skirm-
ishing was kept up as our lines ad.
vancad, and The position Of the enemy
in tie woods was almost reached. A
scattering mu.ketry fire continued
/ from the first advance, about noon, till
nine o'clock, and with occasional luls
The cannonading was heavy and se-
vcrc.
Now came the most successful and
| determined effort on this part Of the
line. The attack was made from the
point of intersection of the angle form
ed by our lines. This point was near
est to the woods, and the enemy's
shells were falling thickly about it,
! Gibbons division and the Pennsylva-
MIA reserves advanced boldly towards
the enemy's works. They pushed de-
terminedly through the bushwood ard
bushes on to a grove of cedars, aud
through these up the hills towards the
breastworks ofthe enemy. The works
were carried, many prisoners captur-
ed, and the crest of tie hill gained,
though not, however, without heavy
loss. Gen. Gibbons fell wounded in
the arm, while leading his command
to the attack. The works Of the en-.
emy at this point were gained, but not
held. The enemy, unfortunately, pos.
sessed the strength TO concentrate over
whelming numbers of fresh troops up.
, on the threatened point, and for all
the valor Of those who survived, and
/ all the sacrifices Of those who fell, the
position had TO be abandoned, and ouI
troops we're compelled 10 fall back tc
the plain. They had penetrated be.
yond the railroad and the Bowling
Green turnpike, through the woods and
across the outer works Of the enemy
! to The top Of the hill, and were ther
forced back TO this side Of the railroad
where they maintained their stand in
advance Of what they had originally
occupied,
During these successive advances
and checks along the center and left
grand division, uninterrupted shelling
was kept up BY the rebel batteries up
: on the bodies Of troops al different
, points Of the plain. AT large stone
mansion near the center Of our line
I used as a field hospital during the
day, an incessaut FIRE was directed
Near this building Gen. Bayard met
an untimely death. A shell struck
him in theieg, without exploding,while
sitting under a tree within a few
yards of Gen. Franklin. lis leg wa
nearly torn oa. and be died IN ths
5 course of the evening. Toward ihe
) middle of tie afternoon the firing
4 along The lines Of ihe lef; grand divis
~. .revy yranker and gradually set