Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1862-12-20
The Battle of FredePIcksburg
Nights.

We make the following extracts FROM a
long correspondence in the Commercial of
December 18th, written by the editor, who
was present, and witnessed the fight at
fredericksburg
On Friday morning those of us not fully
posted, and not conVersant with all the mys-
leries of strategy expected q battle. But
the morning passed quietly, the smoke veil
ing all distant objects from observation. Our
troops were crossing into fredericksburg
Some adventur,rs were struggling back, bear
ing boxes of tobacco, which was as eagerly
sought by our men as ii it had been gold, or
something more precious even than fine gold
| suppose il does rank in the army as one of
the chief necessaries Of life. The town, in the
afternoon, literally swarmed with troops. The
enemy's batteries were omniously silent. II
the rebel General had any particular obiec-
tons to the presence of our troops in the town,
why did he not open upon them from his bat
%teries2 What was to prevent the enemy from
Smelling the town, as we had done2 asked
several military gentlemen the question, for
the situation appeared to me to be one of the
deepest peril. One said: THE enemy have
not ammunition to spare" Another, hOh, a
commandment don't amount to any thing any
how Another, They don't care about
bombing us-it is IN i-nconsequential sort of
business. We threw four thousand shells yes
terday and it amounted to nothing" Anoth-
err, They re afraid of our seige guns this side.
Another, "Gen. Lee thinks he will have a big
thing on us about the bombardment of this
town, He proposes to rouse the indignation
Of the civilized world, as they call it. You'll
see he wont throw n shell into it He is play
ing for the sympathies of Europe" Another
thought the enemy were skedaddling, anC
spoke of the laugh that would be raised a
Burnside's expense in that case. But | thinl
a private soldier came nearer the mark thai
any one else, He said, with the usual expIe
tivesl They want us to get in, Getting on
won't be quite so smart and easy. You'll Sc,
if il will"
An hour or two after noon, as there was n,
prospect for the day Of such an engagement
AS would be best visible from the nights thi
side of the river, and least comfortable OIL
8 the other side, | proposed TO 90 over to tax
/ note Of the effects of the bombanamsat o
nearing the upper bridge, I'VE had three por
, toon bridges across the stream immediatel
| in front of tho city, / found Whjpple's Div
p sion passing over and, waiting uulii they wer
out of the way could not help observing tbs
the town opposite was full of masses Of GU
men who did not seem to be in very good O
) der, but rather scattered, and busiling abor
with a carelessness / could not comprehen,
as many Of them certainly knew that they weI
under the enemy's guns, and liable at any m,
I ment 10 have opened upon them a direc
, %plunging, and enflading fire ofshot and sbeI
i lis happened, was there no danger Of
? lpede2 However, some hours had clap
! Ell without the report Of q cannon or a wolfe
e Of musketry But il looked and felt like Il
b calm before the storm. As ] was looking a
r on Whipple's met filling along, the tempt
$ ton of the beautiful mark they presented vi
too much for . rebel gunner on our right
There was a jet Of smoke from a clump Of c
I dars on a hill, and with the sound Of the gu
a came the shell, a little but wicked one, with
j. zip ripl and a small puffy cloud was reveal'
a good deal nearer than seemed good to
spectator who didn't wear Uncle Sans biz
y jacket In about a quarter Of e minute a
other shell came along and struck in the mid