The New York herald., 1862-12-23

About one O'CLOCK r. NJ tne rAy black Coiumns OF the
enemy in regular order, we're observed moving ap from
their position the river In tho direction Of bat
the hill SIDE, tbre ourths Of mile IN advance
o. hamilton e1ossng As they moved across tns ne vi,
read, ono our batteries away OTTO tho right opened
upon them hre wnich was kept p until the head o.
was Formed w4en the sharp crack OF infantry nrst q
intervals and tAen yolleys quickly succeeding each
otnef, was heard and observed from the surrounding
nils Az This time the hghs NJ this point had become
general and very severe, both sides contestng the
ground with more than usual obstinscy. Here,
tie ragged for PERHAPS hour, our troops en-
gagged Icing A. his division and portion Early's
and laserros Meanwhile the enenys columns
observed fer and presently 10 recede when il
very became evident that the ire too wa m or
'hen and that they were yielding and gradually giving
way forces pressed on. for distance OF
about one mile they fooaei by men, uno then
withdrew from he pursuit and retired to the wcst side Of
the railroad, IN the woods whore the line FIRST
tack which met with such spirit thai il but
ton the river This ondei the heavy frhtiag N tho
right o the .iue, and the battle principally fought
and won by the troops Of HIPS division aided at times
by the other troops of Jacxsons corps.
While these operations going the right,
ongstreets corps were hoty engaged with the enemy %
the lett, immediately he ncyhhorhood Of redercks
burg The right Of The encmys line formed
hundred yards from the southern limits Of the town. and
our forces confronting them were posted ON range of
hills aboit half mite distant The lighting at this point
was very heavy, and continued hr uRhont the afternoon,
during the whole .o which time position main
were sgnaiy rep lsed and driven back to the town.
We were informed that Acl,w division sustained the
principal shock of battle on this end Of the line
When darkness tho firing small ceased,
and The stiffness o. the night Only occasionally inter
rup,ec by the report Of heavy guus rhe result Of tho
day bloody work - easily summed up AT every point
OF attack the enemy c!cctualy repnsed, and at
nigh our forces slept on their arms on the ground occn
pied bY them IL the nnrnnr The number Of prsoRrs
taken drring the day is variously ted from 600
1000, and think vii. reach the latter figure. Among
these ac a number o' minor on.cere In converra,:en
nf iuta.
gencehe stated that BurDsi0as fore did not exceed
100 eco men and that no coincidence is felt among the
troops that they VIII be successful in the Struggle in
progress ard which resulted with snch decided advan
tngc ~ our arms on Saturday lie says that at time
suce tue cpnmeaced has thsgG been despond
cnt feeling atnonr tbeir troops.
ON sunday morning General Lee EXPRESSED himself
highly gratihed with the result Of the previous days
work. He thinks loss cannot exceed 200 iii killed
ard wounded.
After the severe wound of Seuera Gregg received
he sent Tor General Jackson, with whom he nad long
interview. When IL announced that the wound
considered mortal he requested OF his send
several messages to different friends south aroma.
Among Others was one TO Governor Pickens, winch
reported 10 us as loows:'sfe Governor iicKeas. If
am to die at this time. yield my life cheerfuly fghtag
for the indenendence OF South Carolina"
I'm the left. where the dgnt,ns intensely severe,
the brigade o South Cagol;uans. commanded by General
Kershaw, suffered heavily The ihird giment of south
Carolina Volunteers was nearly annibia,ed In he early
part oil the engagement their colonel, lieutenant co,one
and major were all wounded aud the command deyolvcd
upon the senior captain. who was Killed N fifteen mi
nntes after assuming The c'mmand His place va sup
piled by .he second captain, and he too foil
tally wounded in n very short time.
[Spec'sl CORES pondenco of The Richmond Enqlircgl
Howisoss Farm, x lhLrs fEoa tRRpERIcKsRrEG,
Dec. 1910 r. 81.
Tie great battle Q Fredericksburg fought and
won Tonight those of victorious troops who have
escaped nnbarned from battle buiet and disease rest
quietly aud confidently on their well earned anrels,
white nearly il not quite all OF woundo. III your
comfortable hospitals where, as far as is possible let
hope that human skill and attention viii be readily
is dew
ZION TO our cause by the sacrifice oi ms lite this gio
rious but fatii field let the OF sich be
cherished by our people with nc igeast feelings Of
gratitude and ,hsnkflins AsLo have gven them.
selves as martyrs IN this revolution.
The runor my letter yesterday that fro1ar ickg-
burg had been evacuated bytle cnemy and again
our posEession proves trne.
70 finished nv letter al the cars yesterday
astsned bncs to vst The town. hu' scting thus far
laie at night concluded to hoh here, and give you
what have gathered from citizens who have ooen
town during the dey.
EVACUATION OF rRrprEIGJSsrra
fbe work OF evacuation !" 'skcaadd.ng," 'change
q. pase,' whichever it may be called. was commenced
hight absl, eaadown aud was concluded abou, day.
hight this morning. at which time they took up the last
OF their ponons ans once again achieved great vic
tory by failing hackWa-dsn
Their departure gives uumistaabe evidences panic
and haste Aoou. tho town are found large numbers OF
guns, k saS, hayersachs crackers, salt pork ana NJ
last bundled tnnaand rounds Of ecod cartridges
Thcy also ct behind thon in and about tho town. ut the
hundred AID three OF these dead OF lees than
an acre of ground The largely used for hos
pEtai purposes by the Yankees, and. In the haste or d.
pavturc some twenty of their wounded were left behind.
ouR Uc4oRy
As the mist rises from the iht, and the clouds clear
away from the battle, the extent Of cur victory and
the Yankee defeat begins 80 ihow ,self. intelligent
citizens cf fredericksburg say that the Yankees
admit great defeat, aud q loss during the whole
ana sndns with Saturdays great hshi of 10 0oo 1t Is
also said, nlon what regard Trustworthy authority,
tsot the Yankee officers anxons 20 the light
on sunday bnt that tho men were deoofsiized aud could
not be gotten up 10 the mark. Of their prisoners,
likewise. confirm the report that bayopcs AID sharp
shooters we're used ia forcing mp the the terrstc
work q Saturday. and they further say that they
threatened With the fire Dt their batteries shuud
they alter. think II csnuot be questioned that whsksy
rapns were freely supplied tine Yankees previous 10
going into action. Eut all this 10 purpose The
Yankees bad essayed task which army ever
shalitd or that ever VIII lac organized could have accom-
plishea. To nave driven our Men from their position
aud 70 have taken IL, worl, eoapsred with which
the stsrmrg of Gibraltar would DC chiids play. To
specstn The strength OF onr position must be seen
Suffice II % that we bad "Stoa~ss Nst both ends
e re, On the risn and the sono fence on
woild haze attempted SO cilicrM 80 cohsrdy al.
venture.
Truly lnsy il be said tbe Yankees slain in battle have
been sbmchered " make Lincoln holiday They have
filied herccst signay. They may try the ori Royal
route; f they cy WIN ad the same character OF OBJ.
sscies there here; e advantages 10 side Of
brave Spirit 10 oppc.e ins,a. coice positions IN
witch our iIs eur arrange 70 dispute their march The
wei e. lhc go.aIt rep anser tbsr esBna.s deserve
oar tersf rcs'irc thanks.
ysS6gp ~.cNfr.,.
A. Tue sGmm 90 day. rsrgre side i.v side IN orr
n-n, ~e!- ahe Sakee wounded, ,nc TIE safne care
and enjoying Ike xsad treatment sth cur unfortunate
defenders Srslc acy but desd honor and lost 70
al prriplc and sentiment wo-d srtreciatp in.s But
sfroE lsnNee such acts ~ kncness sort cf
pfse eo indeed. i s shin!rS light IN the darkuess.
bright Iss IN cur history, that hereafter rrond.y
oirt ~ a. hrsiraiing orr character. tone and Chris
thnii.. That when people driven from their
homes, ~hct Scre shelca and burGed their heads
and their abandoned property destroyed amid wild
F"I and unistHple license, they who slsiclms Of
their nsie, could oTgei their wrongs Injuries and
bear the o. cold and the wine cY nonrshrnef
&, Their eAein.cs.
rIus OBSTRUCTION PgoYBxfv.
The N.Ioa der-s,on c property in to1n IA ueither
br iiotgncn nor described nad sn demons rom
feifiti hesa cnrained aud to wrcsk rt-
geaGce tis M f'ei CIV could nt have ,srcd worse All
that IS eio'e ha. Dren dcynured hy the hungry Van.
hs, ,Sh his, clothing las been stolen from cgerv house
the furniture fcoblessy destroyed thrown INTO the
streets ueis ripped "lcI pictures asaggred a,1 de.
sros 90, pianos ruhess, robbed of The KEYS fsdeed
every t1rrtiva0e iasy that doyish nalire rr thevng
rtpdt IA