Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-12-19
LAresT PROM THE NORTH.
rHE BArrIEsBEFoRE rREDERIoksBuRe.

before
under control of the Administration, bq narrative Is
shaped with view to conceal as far Is possible the
extent Of the Ths only editorial susion to the
battle b brief paragraph which says "Generul Burn
de Is entirely satisfied with tho result Of Saturdays
fsht 40 are all The General officers aud the whoe army
iS ii excellent spirits Mere t4n this ne Do na KNOW,
and any speculation on ,Es movements Of Die army
( would be merely idle's go :|'e<s
The ioiosine are tb. -wsra; Of General Burnside's
ss.Da,ch 10 tie PssidSntii:; s.1, -; g 81,
I. &" -. ::HHaaiIauAiRIER's ARNr ;POroNAe,
| 90. s.. L. * ;fA:.A;,. l5th Dee
TlI P.ssDssf; ,thavs Just returned from The field
Our troops are III over thsfyer anihod the frat ridge
o6t;ide he town and three miles below%W hope TO
eirry she crest to-day Our loss is beayy-say nye
] FF7 / ;MajOr-GeaeraII Commanding
L The New York Herald of the 18th is also received
We copy from il the.fOlloSiGg; :. =.
FULL DETAILS OF SATURDAYS BATTLE.
tCCsrrsspondenee Of the New York HsrSld)
| FEKpKRtcKsBgRd Va, Dec. 1.-THE battle of yes
terday was one of the most severely and desperately
contested Of the whole war II ragged helcely rousa
ed the Geld h, was kept upvth desernimncn oth'
,ides which seemed though vas likely to last until
one army or the other bad become % exhausted as %
be unable 10 maintain the fight any longer Inc nsht
ing on our immediate front and right and beyond FREQ
ercksburg was carried on by Gensral Summers grand
diyi,iou COMPRISING the second aud ninth army corps
Shortly after nine o'clock the second corps Gsn Souch,
hoh constituted the right Of the attacking torces,
moved out from the upper part OF the ey between tne
pank road aud westerly outskirts with strong deaeh'
ments of administers The enemy yielded gradually,
though thew contested our progress with great stubborn
mesa aud for some time the rattle OF musketry was In
4 csssapt a the same time that this movement was
commenced the batteries Of the division stationed on
the bluffs across the rrer opened with shell TO aid the
| exit of the rebels and cover our advance.
r. The rebel infantry having fallen back to their first line
of entertainments and rife pits their batteries opened
with vigorous and rapid fire upon our columns, which
now had come TO temporary halt, awaiting the resuit
of the artillery fighting. For some time our artileryon
the bus kept up heavy hse upon the rebel batteries
with such success that the batteries on Tayors Hill,
peArIy opposite Falmouth, aud commanding our right
aahk we're husly sleneed During this time the art.
erv OF the rebels almost entirely devoted TO the
l sAeIng Of our advanced troops. Occasionally they
" ould send shot toward our bateriesS but they ie
shoot or lodged in the town beyond. sHancocks d.
vision had the advance supported by the other divisions
orths corps While the ninth corps, GenSWicoI, remai-
ed under arms in town. in readiness TO obey the sgnao
.drapS 10 the assistance and support of their comrades
wherever they could eectqky do so. Soon after the
vholecorps depoyed into line Of battle, With Hncocks
div sun an the right and in this order moved forward 10
attack and storm the rebel Batteries while from all the
enemy's works terrible GhDwer OF she'll grape Snd
shraphel through their bleeding ranks not"iih
standing which they steadily pushed en 80 the rifle PITS
within shor, distance of the frshne OF entertainments
From the former they drove the rebels akug prisoners
of some while the remainder took refuge behind the
earthworks This accomplished seE the most hetoic
anI long continued efforts, under CALLING aud murder
| Gus fire. ..; -
Human nature vas unable 10 hold out against the terri
Nj. fire which thew now encounisted and they finally re-
tired but in good order carving away with them their
sounded comrades., They fell back TO their original
II ~. H. ,NvA lf.ks HrzN
o,eupied aud which they held until this morning, whea
| they we're reueved;by General Stonemans Command
Inst nreyious 10 lie advance of COUGHS corps hsav!
Ing and dense smoke the sleit indicated tho act
thai FRANKLIN With his grand division, advancing
mon and had already engaged the eueIys right tanS
| To omen communication with bin therefore General
Wilcox detsohed his division ander General Burns and
ANT TO the Lett by the edge OF The river with instruc
ions TO advance uader cover Of the river bank un he
could place himself in close proximity to Gen. Franklns
| right. -.
ward crossed iIaze ruiz and took position With his le
resting on DceD run the opposite bank of Which zen
Frlnkln's right extended. Prom THIS LOCATION he was
asa able TO support ii necessary any demonstration
having Tor is field Of opeadus the space nj ground
botueen Deep rIp all COUGHS corpse and though the
d sion did not tase part in tie days engagement IL
rendcrrdsvluable Asfst7ucc otherwise. About noon
Gsr Sur-is was ordered 10 tho support of Cen Couch
50 forming his diyion with Cen Ferreros brigade IN
the advance, he moved ooquey VITA ain on a.e iei'
g,nk of Gen Couch with The intention OF attacking tho
batteries which had been en6ading COUGHS from the
rir centre Of the rebel position. He opened the at
ack with Gen Ferrer9S brigade, which dSpoyed into line
of battle parallel 70 the enemy works with Gen Naglos
brigade formed in the reaE, and within easy supporting
di.auce Gen Terrero then advanced, pouring inter
rso yolleys of mpsketry and driving the rebels back
To retard this hoysment tho rebels opened raking
ERE upon his left dink upon discovering which Gereral
Sturgis ordered Nages brigade TO advance by the lcit
II r 4 :. Al. 4. Il. -.
flank and forming into line OF battle attack the enen
/ battery on tie LEFT. The movement was accordingly
attempted but n consequence Of rayines which IL was
njuicous TO leave ia their rear, General Nagle Was
unable to carry tho order and he then fell back TO
IA. direct support Of Gen. Fcrrero. COUGHS corps was
filling back ahe this Vas transpirinf aud by thstime
Gen Magic had assumed his original posiion was nearly
on the field leaving Sturgl- Hone in the advance, and
upon his command the enemy nov concentratedaImo
their entire force and the fgh became one Of tbs
/ most desperate character.
| Despite tho storm OF missiles from the numerous
rebel works Gen Ferror9 continued to Advance, support
OF NOW also by Dckesons battery which disabled
/ IN fifteen minutes after coming nto"acton, whep its
| Mace was relieved by another battery. AT last by a
dasiag charge the brigade carried The crest OF the hill
sud'approsrhed within eighty PAGES OF the enemys 10
trepeba.eatS Their success however, was not OF long
continuance as tue Tremendous fire from the rebel bat
sooa rendered il necessary for them TO retire
vbiH they Gd wher the order do had been given
for he thitdtime + wasnowdArk, and the division fed
back to its original position, aQer being six hours nder
Ire. General Sturgiss division may be said TO: have
borne the blunt of Tie fighting on the part of theNinth
corp.. and behaved splendldly throughout the
| whole affair. 20
When sthgis was most warmly engaged the Third
Division under Gen. Getty advunccdsO his support exc
cutting movement TO bis left similar to that which he
was making in relation 10 Gen Couch After occupying
for some time the position first indicated BY the ORDER
IRON Gen Wilcox the division formed for M At
tack on the right rebebatteres, which had been euh
ding the ranks Of Gen. Sturgis and to the accomplish
lment of .h. particular object Col Hawkins Brigade
with Lizards and tho Fh Massachusetts, battery was
particularly assigned While the Second Brigade under
Colonel Harlan formed in the reserve support
The order having been given to charge NOSE oa''e
rie Colonel Uswkius brigade dashed forward and, In
ascending herslope were compelled to cross On old ca
| nal aud a dep slough Passing these, they found
themselves ouI level piece OF ground On reaching
,.LL a. = noe; b,d overtnken Them Notwithstanding