The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1862-12-18

Letter from the Scene of Conflict.
HoMARn's DIVISION.

Summers command. No doubt it was a day
of anxious waiting TO all who were aware that
the army was in motion, but you at home can
not easily comprehend the intensity Of anxiety
of those who witness the details of action,while
the eveat hangs in fearful uncertanty-the de-
preston at times-the ebb and flow of hope,
and on the other hand the excitement which
attends success /; the glow of exutation, the
thrill of admiration for those who have attain
ed it. thanklulness to Him who gave it; these
emotions mingling I'll and crowd the heart. the
preponderance of each depending upon the pc
culiar temperament of the beholder. OF the
! participant the same is true adding the intensi-
! fication of which comes from personal con-
tact, and the varied emotions which spring
from self-love.
Experience taught us lessons of this kind
yesterday. when in the darkness OF the foggy
morning hour just after swallowing hasty
breakfast, we heard the opening roar of the
cannon. and listened with practiced ear to de-
eide whether they were our own or the enc
my's guns in the hustle of a hurried depart
ure from campfire buckling on of spurs-the
clasping round of sabre belts, rolling up of
robes or blankets, fastening them upon the sad
dies sharp words to the Hurried ostler who has
too much to do in too short time-the brief
and pointed directions of the general, sending
one aid here and another there giving distinct
~ the order of march-whch brigade leads,
where the column will be formed, the place
for the artillery. On the horses now, trotting
over the frozen and icy ground; the Adjutant
General to stop at this point and see each
brigade ont of camp; the Ordnance Officer, to
90 in search of the ammunition train which
has already moved: one brigade is long in get
ting out of camp; the general often looks at
his watch, and remarks that the appointed
hour has not quite arrived; the forge of our
battery gets stuck fast in crossing a brook;
the eight horses do not full together; they slip
upon the frosty ground. they are turned this
way, then that; whipped scolded; men lift
on the wheels; the forge still sticks fast; the
appointed hour has arrived; the general is
getting impatient, but the aid sent to bring
out the dilatory brigade arrives and says Gen.
- has started and we now see the head
ofhs column; the eight horses of the forge,
are turned far off to the left while the strength
of the artillery men and Others, the general has
temporarily impressed, is applied directly and
with levers to the wheels and then the horses
pull a little, feel encouraged when it starts, as
do We all, and up comes the forge out of the
ford when it has been delayed fifteen minutes,
which have seemed an hour. The cannon mean
while are booming away. Au aid OF the Cen
eral rides up and says the other two divis-
ions are in motion parallel to ours. We are
TO cross three bridges which are expected to
be completed by the time we reach the rivers
bank.
The fog is lifting, and there is some dam
ger that our column will be seen by the enc
my as it passes over the hill, and it will GER
tainly draw their fire upon us, if seeh. The
kindly fog covers us till we are protected by
another hill, behind which we are ordered to
march and halt till further orders. 1t seems
that the bridges are not yet finished, though
begun at 2 O'Clock a. m. Soon the word comes
that the laying of the pontoons progresses We
ny slowly nxyipor IN .hp anpfny'S Sharp Shnpf-
ers who are concealed in houses and behind.
barricades, rihe-pits ETC., and drop" our engi-
neers as soon as they step upon the bridge.
1t is now sunrise and the bridge is not half
way across. A brigade of our division is Or
dered iorwaId-part to support the batteries,
and part to stand upon the bank and, If posi-
bic, to clear away the rebel sharpshooters by
volleys. Col. Halls brigade, consisting of the
18th and 10th Mass, the 9th Mich, the 18th
and AID n. Y. and 129th Pa, goes to the front.
Gen. Howard accompanied them to a point
near our batteries, and as they filed past him,
he spoke words Of cheer to the men. He then
returned and rode along the front of all the
remaining regiments including the 10th Maine
which belongs to Gen. Sully's brigade, address
ing the men in similar manner.
Your space will not allow me to go through
the anxious day as infinitely as | have begun.
Soon Gen. ii. rides over to the advanced brig
ade, where the shells have been striking I'M
comfortably near, but no one hurt except those
upon the bank of the river by the villainous
bullets of the rebel sharpshooters. A 1t. Col
onel and three captains have already been
struck-Lt. Col. Bull, we know him well, NOR
tally wounded.
bridge is only half way across. The It'll Mich,
formerly Col. Halls regiment volunteers to
cross in boats in the face of the firing, drive
off the sharpshooters, and protect the finish
ing of the bridge. Gen. ii. gives his hearty
approval.
The boats are made ready. They rush from
cover and into the boats push of, one after
the other. The bullets come in showers and
kill terribly. The head boat is forced to put
back, but out 1t goes again, and another is
now pushing to the very middle of the river.
On they 60, seven of them, in the face of de-
struction, but armed with noble purpose and
sublime courage. Yes, and armed with good
effective rifles, with which they pour back a
storm of balls. One touches the further shore
they shout and rush up the bank-an an
swering cheer resounded from those who
watched from the other shore. The 9TH Mich
igan is across. Their Colonel, resolute Col.
Baxter, has been wounded, but their colors
are up, and they dash forward, driving the re-
bels before them-rush into houses and behind
all covers, and there hold their ground. The
bridge building can now go on. A stand of
colors is captured, which the proud captor
brings back to Gen. Howard, who thanks and
eommends him, inquiring his name. He does
not claim to have taken it without aid from
others. He wishes to return to the fight, and
the General takes the flag and suffers him to
return The regiment is in a critical place,
but others soon join it from the boats and in
less than one hour the bridge is finished.
Now the remainder of the Division passes
over But, as soon as the column appeared
upon the hill, the enemy's cannon opened
iiercely upon it, Must it wind its slow length
along amid such tearing destruction? Gen.
ii. sits with his staff by the brink of the river,
and near the end of the bridge, till one brig
ade has passed. The shells burst about him
and strike terribly close. They plunge into
the solid earth. The pieces whiz in every d.
rection; some drop into the river with sound
like that of Il hot iron plunged into water
Gen. II. crosses with his staff and now stands
upon the other bank, while the remainder of
his command comes over. The bullets now
whistle past. They come down the street in
fearful profusion. Aids go and come from
Col. Hall, who is advancing slowly up the
street with his brigade. Col. Hall himself
comes and consults with Gen. Howard and
says. "they are killing my men frightfuly."-
Instruct them TO 60 slowly and cautiously,
seeking every possible cover" is the answer.
Dec. 18TH If spared through this day, your
correspondent will continue this account
Loss in Halls brigade, 3 officers killed,
wounded; 35 men killed, $50 wounded. Los
in the other brigades thus far, slight. III.
How lie BROKE Ills JAw.-The following
| highly interesting local item appears in a Chip