Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-12-17

teresting psrtioulars of the operations at
Fredericksburg thus far:
PREPARING FOR THE WORK.
QuArtermasters were straining every
nerve 10 have everything in their depart
ments ready at a moments notice COM
missaries were urging forward ratiOns in
abundance for long marches and fa-
Gguing campaign the great pontoOn train
drawn by one thousand horses, and man
aged by 5000 picked men, had every man
at work night and day to have every bolt
and rope and cord and anchor in hand and
in its proper place; regiments and brig
ades were being daily drilled in the man
euVeTs of the battle field; heavy trains of
ammunition wagons were rumbling over
the frozen roads artillery companies were
going through the rapid movements re-
quired for the hottest action everything,
from the minutest detail M to the more
general arrangements of the army, was be-
ing closely attended to and pushed forward
to a state Of efficiency with all the energy
the heads of the different departments
could command. Notwithstanding the ap-
parent inactivity of the army, one could
hardly see all these vast preparations 60
ing on without feeling his blood flow quick
er in his veins, his pulse throb, and his
heart beat with more rapid tick, and see
ing in his dreams some Of the sufferings
and ghastly scenes of the battle field.
CONSULTATION WITH THE GENERALS.
"At last the day drew near. Yesterday
there was unusual oommotion in camp.
All knew by instinct what it meant. The
General commanding the army was seen in
close consultation with the Generals of
grand divisions Huge maps, with every
creek and valley and hill, with every house
and hut and barn, every bridge and peol,
distinctly traced upon them, were spread
out upon big tables, scanned and traced
with the closest scrutiny. The brains of
those upon whom the responsibility of the
battle would rest were tasked to their full
lest extent. An able General, with half
clad and half frozen army at his command,
who expected to be replenished in the in
ner and the outer man from the stores Of
his antagonist, lay watching him behind
the heights of Fredericksburg, and was
to be met, defeated, and if possible annihi-
lated
THE BOATS ACROSS VALIANT BAND.
"The moment the boats touched the shore
a shout went up from the cannoniers at
our guns, from the soldiers drawn out in
line Of battle, from line and staff officers
gathered by hundreds to witness the
crossing, and from all spectators of what
ever rank or class, that almost drowned
the roar Of artillery. At this moment
General Sumner and his staff came riding
up, and seeing what had been accomplish
ed, ordered band near him to strike up
Dixie. The leader said he could not play
Dixie, but would give him Yankee Doodle,
and the band were about placing their in
struments to their mouths, when a round
shot from the enemy's battery, which had
remained silent all day, fell plump in
their midst, and with it fell all the brave
band on their bellies, as if each had been
struck on the head with the shot. DiscoV-
ering however in a moment that they were
not hit they sprang to their feet dropped
their instruments and ran.
THE DRUMMER BOY.
g. In the first boat that crossed the river
was little drummer boy, of the 7th Mich
igan, only ten years old, by the name of
Henderson, who had begged to be allowed
to 20 over in the first boat. He was one
of the first to dash up the bank, and actu-
ally captured q rebel. 1t is unnecessary
to say that this drummer boy is not Of
that band.
INDEPENDENT OF ORDERS.
HThe bridge at the La,ey House having
been laid amid the applause of thousands,
the 87th Pennsylvania regiment, deter
mined not to be outdone by the 7th Michi-
gan, without orders, and in the face of a
severe Ere, laid the bridge near the rail-
road, crossed it, dashed up into the city,
and came around one Of the streets, and
shook hands with the Michigan boys.
"At this moment Gen. Burnside came
upon the ground, and was received with
the widest enthusiasm. have seen many
receptions of Mcclellan by his troops,
but never saw one more spontaneous than
this.
BUILDING THE BRIDGES ON THE LEFT.
HHalfa dozen boats had been thrown out
and anchored in the river; the timbers
had connected them together, and the
planks had been laid. The men, who un-
derstood each his appropriate task, were
laboring like bees under the stimulus Of q
constant expectation of volleys Of bullets,
whizzing from the rebel rihemen secreted
behind slight elevation on the opposite
bank. The picket fires Of the enemy had
gone out, and they were working quietly
and apprehensively upon the bridges when
/ q line Of skirmishers, debouehing from
the woods, poured upon them volley of
bullets. The men dropped into the boats
to escape the FIRE, ond lay there until the
| enemy were driven away by few success
! oF ebvorra11 froro tho hoffar-
| les at the right and left Of the bridges.
t:Several of the men were wounded
only one seriously-and the boats were
also pierced through in several places.
The enemy were dispersed and the work
upon the bridges renewed, until similar
attack forced the engineers to drop again
into the bottoms of their boats. The rebels
were driven away second time, and
ceased thereafter TO disturb the progress
of the work.
"Soon after the second attack, a wild,
dare devil fellow appeared upon the fur
ther end Of the bridge, mounted upon q
fine horse, and fourishing a sword in his
hand, shouted defantly, "Three cheers
forfeit. Davis" and then rode around upon
the bank of the river with an air Of com
plete indifference. He was Immediately
the mark for score of bullets, not one Of
which struck him or disturbed the equa.
niNity Of his bearing.
CROSSING on THE LEFT.
General Franklin command, although
ready for the advance before noon, did noi
receive orders for the movement until sun.
set. The Grand Division was led off il
two columns, the I'd R. I. Volunteers
} Colonel Frank Wheaton, Of General Dew
in's brigade, General Newton's division
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